Alice Louise (Davis) Campbell

Alice Louise (Davis) Campbell was born August 4, 1917 to W.W. and Merna (Sullivan) Davis on the Davis’ farm located in Adair County, Iowa. She attended elementary school at Hazel Dell, which was a one room school northeast of the farm. Alice then went on to graduate from Lenox High School in 1935. In order for her to get her high school education, her transportation was sometimes very unusual. Several times while walking down the railroad tracks, a neighbor would let her ride his handcar into Lenox. On a very snowy time when the roads were blocked with snow, her parents told her to ride the train and to tell the conductor to let her off at the fifth crossing. They started counting crossings in the town. It must not have been five crossings because the conductor tried to let her off three times. The last time that it stopped, the engineer said “throw her off”, but the conductor said, “I can’t, she is a child”. On January 23, 1937, Alice married James Lloyd Campbell. Jim and Alice spent married life farming around Kent, Indianola, Cumming, Prescott, Fontanelle, Bridgewater, and McCallsburg. Alice loved helping in the fields and with the livestock. Jim and Alice had twin daughters, Joyce and Joann, and another daughter, Patricia, two years later. Alice helped with girls 4-H and Bible school. She also loved making bread and pies. She made comforters for each one of her girls, grandchildren, and even her great grandchildren. In 1958, they purchased the Adel Cafe in Adel, Iowa. Due to Jim’s health they sold the cafe in 1960. Jim passed away in September of 1960. Alice started working at Methodist Hospital in Des Moines in 1961 and retired in 1982. She then worked at the Home Care in Adel making congregate meals for the visitors. In 1975, Alice opened her home to her mother and sister, Leone. July of 2016 was when Alice moved in with her daughter, Joann. Alice turned 100 years of age in August of 2017. Alice is survived by her daughters, Joyce (Rudy) of Lewisville, TX, Joann of West Des Moines, and Patricia of Booneville; grandchildren, Leilani, Lynnette, Lynda, Kevin and Brigitta; and great grandchildren, Anna, Allison, Ava, and Riley. She was preceded in death by her parents, W.W. and Merna (Sullivan) Davis; husband, Jim; son-in-law, Richard; brothers, Clyde and Arthur; and sisters, Ione and Leone. Her funeral service will be 11 AM Saturday, October 7, at the First Christian Church in Adel with Pastor Doug Pfeiffer officiating. Family will greet friends 1 hour before the service at the church. Burial will be in the Witt Cemetery at rural Bridgewater, Iowa. Memorials may be directed to the First Christian Church. Funeral arrangements are being handled by McCalley Funeral Home in Adel. Online condolences may be left on this site.