Alice Staab

Alice was born on the family farm near Mason City, Nebraska on December 3, 1921. Her parents were Carl and Thea (Waller) Knudson. She attended elementary school in Mason City and graduated from Mason City High School in 1939 at age 17. Alice began teaching country school soon after graduation from high school. After years of attending night and summer school, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Kearney State College in 1973. She also attended American River College in Sacramento, California for a brief time. Alice taught several K – 8 county schools, including Happy Hollow, Hopewell, Algernon, Box Elder, and Weissert for 31 years, including 15 in the Ansley Public Schools. She later served as a substitute teacher. Alice married Walter A. Staab on June 7, 1943 in Mason City, while Walter was on leave from the Army during World War II. He was deployed shortly thereafter to the European Theater, remaining in combat until war’s end. During the summer of 1943, she helped the war effort by working in a defense plant in Petaluma, California weaving parachute rope. After World War II, the couple lived in the Mason City and Ansley communities, except for a few years in the early 1950’s and 1963 when the family lived San Diego and Sacramento, California. Alice was a member of the First Church of Christ Scientist, Boston, Massachusetts branch churches in Broken Bow and Kearney for several years serving as Reader. She was a member of the Mason City American Legion Auxiliary, Post 142, Muddy Creek Historical Society, American Federated Women’s Club, Sunshine Club, served as a Cub Scout Leader and volunteered her skills to the Ansley Township Library. She enjoyed baking wedding and anniversary cakes for relatives and friends, making porcelain dolls, doll clothes and costumes for her students, helping with parade floats and “just getting the family together.” Walter passed away on January 25, 1999 and Alice lived in her home for some time, and most recently lived in Custer Care and Off Broadway Assisted Living. She passed away at age 89 in the Jennie Melham Memorial Hospital on June 7, 2011. Survivors include sons, Stanley and Vicki Staab, Norfolk, Steven and Marilyn Staab, Ansley; grandchildren, Mark Staab, North Platte, Brandi (Jared) Rossman, Norfolk, AnDee Jo Harris (Scott), Lincoln, Melissa (Randy) Hurlburt, Gordon and Adam Staab, Omaha and great grandchildren, Sierra Staab, Kellen and Taylor Rossman and Morgan, Shelby and Tessa Hurlburt and Brennan Harris. In addition to her husband, Alice was preceded in death by her parents, brother Ervin Knudson, sister Thelma Rafferty and infant son, Alan Dale. Funeral services will be held on Monday June 13, 2011 at 2:00 PM in Govier Bros. Mortuary in Broken Bow with Kelly Rapp officiating. Burial will be in the Mason City Cemetery with Govier Bros. Mortuary of Broken Bow in charge of the arrangements. Visitation will be held Sunday June 12, 1 PM to 6 PM at Govier Bros. Mortuary. Memorials have been established to the Custer Care Center in Broken Bow or the Off Broadway Assisted Living In Broken Bow.