Alice Kniss

Alice Kniss lived a life that saw many changes in the world, but through them all she remained a woman of strength and determination, with a love for her family and church. Alice had a deep faith in God and when things were hard she looked to the Lord for comfort and direction.

The 1910's were called the Ballroom Decade and many restaurants were equipped with dance floors for the patrons to enjoy. Popular songs like "Alexander Ragtime Band," "Danny Boy," and "Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life" were all tunes that young Americans were dancing to. It was a good decade, and it was especially good because little Alice was born on July 22, 1910. She was born to her parents in Port Huron, MI and raised by her grandparents in Kalamazoo , MI. Alice was a determined young girl and despite many odds she persevered to graduate from Kalamazoo Central High School in 1929. During her high school years, her grandparents could not pay for her to go to school so Alice worked hard to figure out a way to make it on her own. She found work at a boarding house. She was able to move in there, as well as, work for the owners to earn money for school. She later found a job at the State Hospital . She moved into the State Hospital and cleaned the nursing quarters which also helped pay her way through school.

After high school Alice was hired at Kresge's, which was a predecessor of K-mart, to work at the notions counter. She became friends with many of her co-workers and while visiting a co-worker's home one day, Alice 's eyes fell upon George Kniss, her co-worker's brother. Alice was smitten the moment she set eyes on George. George could take a hint and he took the chance to ask her out. They fell in love in no time and the happy couple married on March 1, 1932. They were married in Goshen, IN at the Methodist Church . Shortly after they married, Alice stopped working to become a homemaker. She liked to stay busy and looked for opportunities to serve others. During World War II she took the time to write articles for the GI newsletters which were sent to the troops. She was always thinking of how she could help. As a child, she was a member of the 4-H club and so as an adult she joyfully gave back to the organization by volunteering for twenty-five dedicated years. She taught sewing and knitting to the young girls in the organization who affectionately referred to her as "Aunt Alice."

In 1955, Alice and George built their home in Cooper where they became lifetime residents of the area. The romantic couple spent a lot of quality time together and two of their favorite things to enjoy as a couple were dancing and traveling. They were twenty-five year members of the Ramona Lane Promenaders and life long members of the Clover Leaf Square Dancers. They even planned to entertain their guests with square dancing at the celebration of their fifty-year anniversary. They became close with a young teenage square dancing group called the Kids & Kousins. The group adored them and adopted Alice and George as their God parents. The two traveled all over North America and their travels covered all fifty states, the southern provinces of Canada from coast to coast, as well as, the Carribean. When they weren't out and about they took great care of the surrounding birds. Alice loved feeding the birds and she jokingly told people that they spent all their beer and cigarette money on the bird seed.

Alice was a dedicated citizen of her community and she always found a way to get involved. For forty years, she and her sister in-law sold tickets to the grandstand at the Kalamazoo County Fair. She belonged to the Kalamazoo Nature Center , Kalamazoo Extension Club (a club that taught economics), EGS (a sewing club) and Chula Vista Garden Club, Life Member O.E.S. Wickwire Chapter #57. On Maundy Thursday in 1947, Alice and George became members of the First Baptist Church of Kalamazoo through Baptism by Dr. Wylie. She was involved in the church also, and served as Women's Society President and Treasurer.

Alice Kniss was a loving, compassionate and hard-working woman who sacrificed her time and energy to provide for others. Her active life-style and determination to succeed led for a happy, fulfilled life. In 1995 however, she lost her beloved husband George. It was a lonely and difficult time for her, but with the help of her family and church she was comforted. A piece of her heart was gone forever when George passed but she tried to continue to live her life well. A few years after George's death, Alice moved into William Crispe Home in Plainwell and over the last couple of years she was residing at Crystal Woods Nursing Home. Alice 's presence will be deeply missed by all those who were blessed enough to know her and she will be fondly remembered.

Alice Kniss, age 95, died July 26, 2005, at Crystal Woods in Kalamazoo . She was preceded in death by her husband, George. Alice 's family includes her sisters-in-law: Lula Armstrong of Otsego, Alice Gates of Hickory Corners, and Florence Stafford of Kalamazoo; brother-in-law: Edwin & Jeannette Kniss of Lake City ; and many nieces & nephews. To learn more about Alice , friends may visit with her family on Friday from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the Rupert, Durham, Marshall & Gren Life Story Funeral Home, Plainwell Chapel, where her service will follow at 12:00 p.m. Please visit Alice 's memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can share a memory, or make a memorial contribution. Memorials may be made to the Nature Center or Wings of Hope Hospice.