Alice Lorraine Hendrickson Tillson, 93

Alice Lorraine Hendrickson Tillson, 93, passed away Aug. 24, 2014.

Alice was born on May 7, 1921, in Simpson, Mont. She was the daughter of Nick and Louise Hendrickson, and born on their homestead north of Havre. In 1936 the family moved to the Flathead Valley. Alice graduated from Flathead County High School with high honors in 1939. She attended Northwestern Business School in Spokane for two years and then accepted a job at the Kalispell Mercantile.

Soon after, she returned to Kalispell and became engaged to Charley Tillson. They were married on March 24, 1942. They moved to Los Angeles where Charley was working at Douglas Aircraft. Alice started working in the office of a large furniture store. Charley worked the graveyard shift, so Alice changed jobs. She also worked at Douglas on the graveyard shift so she could spend more time with her new husband. When Charley enlisted in 1943, Alice returned to Kalispell to her parents’ home. In 1945, with the war over, Charley returned to Kalispell and he and Alice became lifelong residents.

Alice was a Brownie and Girl Scout leader, member of the PTA and active in Home Demonstration Club, where she served as president of the Flathead County Council. She was an active member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, and particularly enjoyed her years as a Luther League Sponsor.

Alice always enjoyed using her business school knowledge and worked at various times at the Glacier Dairy, Gambles Store, the Kalispell Mercantile and the Flathead Valley Electric Co-op. She also worked during tax season for a CPA firm.

In recent years Alice has been a resident of Buffalo Hill Terrace where she served as secretary of the residents association, joined the Sons of Norway, and started a group doing prayer shawl ministry.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charley, in 2006; her brother, Clarence “Red” Hendrickson, and his wife, Grace; and her brother-in-law, Alvin Tillson, and his wife Caroline “Callie.”

She is survived by a daughter, Sandra Inouye, and her husband, Roger, of Lake Tapps, Wash.; her granddaughter, Lara McDonnell, husband Tony, and great-granddaughter Sarah Risenhoover, of Kalispell; great-grandson, Andrew Risenhoover, of Fort Benning, Ga.; her grandson, Tom Hendricksen, wife Kristina, and great-grandson Charley, of Federal Way, Wash.; her nephew, John “Hendrix” Hendrickson, of Kalispell; her nephew, Denis Hendrickson, and wife, Denise, of Spokane; and many great-nephews and great-nieces and their families; and daughter, Shirley Oziminski, husband Phil, and family of Reno, Nev.

A public visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2, at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home. The funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 3, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church.

The family suggests memorials be given to the Buffalo Hill Terrace or Bethlehem Lutheran Church.

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Alice’s family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to view Alice’s tribute wall, offer condolences and share memories.