Obituary for Alice Lela Cundiff
CUNDIFF
Alice Cundiff was born on January 22, 1935 at Lacombe, the youngest daughter of Sybil and Albert Nelson. Growing up in Lacombe life was filled with interesting experiences. Summer days at Gull Lake, Alix Free Methodist Church Camp, skating in the winter (the one sport she said she was good at) and learning gardening at the heels of her father in the spring. She had a great thirst for learning and knowledge. She was devastated the first time she went to school and was not allowed to stay as she would not have her 6th birthday until the end of December and would have to wait until the next year to attend. She considered this a great injustice. She completed 12 years of schooling in Lacombe in good standing and thoroughly enjoyed school, especially when the good looking young men of the class asked for help with their trigonometry or French assignments. Following graduation she worked one year for Gordon Sweet at Sweet’s Pharmacy. The world of pharmacy completely intrigued her but she chose not to pursue it further. The church and Christian walk of life were always important to her. After working one year, she enrolled in Mountain View Bible College in Didsbury where she completed four years of studies. While there, she met Cliff Stauffer and they married September 1958. Suzan, Trevor, Cliff Jr. and Deana completed their family. Living in Kitchener, Ontario from 1965 – 1969 brought some unusual and interesting experience for all of them. But the call of the west was strong and they returned to familiar surroundings. Alice returned to Olds in 1972 and it quickly became home to her. She was often heard to say, she had no desire to be anywhere else. She worked at the Co-Op and other stores until gaining employment for 15 ½ years cooking at the Olds Hospital. She remained there until her retirement on March 31, 1995. Around this time she began putting her thoughts and feelings on paper which was very therapeutic for her. Her writings began to touch others in a positive way and over the years she published 5 books and gained more than 700 publishing credits. She was always blessed and encouraged when someone said they were blessed by her writing or “you made laugh”. The glory went to the Lord. Her family and grandchildren were of ultimate importance to her. She found great joy in sending notes or little parcels to them “just because I love you”. They snuggled in sweaters and afghans she made. When the grandchildren were young, she spent hours reading to them, a special time for both. She knew she had achieved her goal and things had come full circle when her 10 year old granddaughter said, “Can I read you a story?” She instilled constantly on her grandchildren to “learn all you can, the more you know, the more opportunities you have and stay close to the Lord.” Alice married Edwin Cundiff in 1984. Their time together was brief but they shared many good times. Waiting in heaven for Alice is 2 baby girls stillborn(Suzan’s triplet sisters), son Trevor, grandson Dallas, granddaughter Emma, husband Edwin, parents Sybil and Albert Nelson, brother David and sister Catherine. She is survived by her children Suzan (Bob), Cliff (Rebecca), Deana; daughter-in-law Kim Stauffer-Thompson; 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Alice’s life was completed by the endless love for her family and a deep personal relationship with her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ and by many adventures enjoyed with friends and her family. Funeral services were held on Monday December 17, 2018 at First Baptist Church, Olds. Interment was held at the Olds Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made directly to Alberta Parkinson’s Society or River’s Edge Camp, Kitchen Fund. Heartland Funeral Services Ltd., Olds entrusted with arrangements
Alice Cundiff was born on January 22, 1935 at Lacombe, the youngest daughter of Sybil and Albert Nelson. Growing up in Lacombe life was filled with interesting experiences. Summer days at Gull Lake, Alix Free Methodist Church Camp, skating in the winter (the one sport she said she was good at) and learning gardening at the heels of her father in the spring. She had a great thirst for learning and knowledge. She was devastated the first time she went to school and was not allowed to stay as she would not have her 6th birthday until the end of December and would have to wait until the next year to attend. She considered this a great injustice. She completed 12 years of schooling in Lacombe in good standing and thoroughly enjoyed school, especially when the good looking young men of the class asked for help with their trigonometry or French assignments. Following graduation she worked one year for Gordon Sweet at Sweet’s Pharmacy. The world of pharmacy completely intrigued her but she chose not to pursue it further. The church and Christian walk of life were always important to her. After working one year, she enrolled in Mountain View Bible College in Didsbury where she completed four years of studies. While there, she met Cliff Stauffer and they married September 1958. Suzan, Trevor, Cliff Jr. and Deana completed their family. Living in Kitchener, Ontario from 1965 – 1969 brought some unusual and interesting experience for all of them. But the call of the west was strong and they returned to familiar surroundings. Alice returned to Olds in 1972 and it quickly became home to her. She was often heard to say, she had no desire to be anywhere else. She worked at the Co-Op and other stores until gaining employment for 15 ½ years cooking at the Olds Hospital. She remained there until her retirement on March 31, 1995. Around this time she began putting her thoughts and feelings on paper which was very therapeutic for her. Her writings began to touch others in a positive way and over the years she published 5 books and gained more than 700 publishing credits. She was always blessed and encouraged when someone said they were blessed by her writing or “you made laugh”. The glory went to the Lord. Her family and grandchildren were of ultimate importance to her. She found great joy in sending notes or little parcels to them “just because I love you”. They snuggled in sweaters and afghans she made. When the grandchildren were young, she spent hours reading to them, a special time for both. She knew she had achieved her goal and things had come full circle when her 10 year old granddaughter said, “Can I read you a story?” She instilled constantly on her grandchildren to “learn all you can, the more you know, the more opportunities you have and stay close to the Lord.” Alice married Edwin Cundiff in 1984. Their time together was brief but they shared many good times. Waiting in heaven for Alice is 2 baby girls stillborn(Suzan’s triplet sisters), son Trevor, grandson Dallas, granddaughter Emma, husband Edwin, parents Sybil and Albert Nelson, brother David and sister Catherine. She is survived by her children Suzan (Bob), Cliff (Rebecca), Deana; daughter-in-law Kim Stauffer-Thompson; 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Alice’s life was completed by the endless love for her family and a deep personal relationship with her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ and by many adventures enjoyed with friends and her family. Funeral services were held on Monday December 17, 2018 at First Baptist Church, Olds. Interment was held at the Olds Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made directly to Alberta Parkinson’s Society or River’s Edge Camp, Kitchen Fund. Heartland Funeral Services Ltd., Olds entrusted with arrangements