Alice Gilman

Alice Gilman, 86, of Ferryville, died Tuesday, September 4, 2012. Alice Marie Gilman, age 86, of Ferryville, WI passed away peacefully with family at her side, at St. Josephs Rehabilitation Center in La Crosse on Tuesday, September 4, 2012. She was born on June 2, 1926 in the township of Freeman to Karl and Annie (Olson) Knutson. On March 20, 1943 she was united in marriage to her beloved husband of 38 years Clarence Hiam. On April 20, 1985 she married Cleo Gilman. In the early years of their marriage, Alice and Clarence led a somewhat nomadic existence living and traveling in a railroad bunk car as they followed Clarences work with the railroad from location to location. Upon coming home and settling in Ferryville, family and faith quickly became primary focal points of Alices life. For her parents and siblings, Alice was always the first to volunteer to help them with their current endeavors whether it was mowing the yard, painting and wallpapering the house, making lefse and mulsa or working in the tobacco fields. Whatever Alice was working on she brought with her a special kindness and her terrific sense of humor. Nieces and nephews also had special relationships with Aunt Alice, knowing that her house was always a comfortable second home for them; she had especially close relationships with and got tremendous joy from her great-niece and great-nephew Jennifer (Weber) McCullick and Nicholas Weber. On Christmas Day Alices house always appeared ready to burst at the seams as it was the gathering point for multiple generations of family, yet there was always room for one more person who needed a joyous place to spend the holiday; the day inevitably wrapped up with showings of old family movies and memories of holidays past. Alice will be remembered by her family as the person who brought together all of the generations and instilled in them her value of family and love and support for one another. She is survived by two sisters: Linda Knutson of Oak Park, IL and Diane (Ed) Bouffard of St. Cloud, MN; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother in infancy; her husband Clarence Hiam who died in 1981, her husband Cleo Gilman who died in 1986; siblings Kenneth, Reuben, and Orvin Knutson, Mildred Anderson and Betty Redman. Alices faith was her anchor and she was an active and passionate member of the Utica Lutheran Church; its Ladies Aide and Miriam Circle. Her faith brought Alice comfort and support right up to the end. A sense of adventure was also a distinct part of Alices personality. Her travels throughout the United States, to Norway and to the Holy Land were highlights of her adventures. Alice also had a strong sense of community, playing an active role in the early years of the Ferryville Booster Club, serving on the election board and volunteering for any and all community events. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 8, 2012 at 10 a.m. at the Utica Lutheran Church. The Pastor Ted Dewald will officiate with burial in the church cemetery. Friends may call from 4 to 7 on Friday at the Vosseteig-Larson Funeral Home, 123 W. Decker (hwy 56) in Viroqua. The Vosseteig Funeral Homes of Gays Mills and Viroqua are serving the family.