Alice Irene (Coffey) Ridlington passed away March 23, 2023 in Allegan. She was born February 15, 1949 in Allegan, MI, the 7th of 8 children raised by Ernest “Marion” Coffey and Dorothy May Foote. She attended Prouty Country School from K-8th grade and graduated from Allegan High School in 1967. Since the family didn’t have much money, they would pick blueberries every summer to earn money for school clothes and supplies then come home and work in the family garden so that their mother could can veggies and fruits for the winter, along with the wonderful bread she would make. Mostly, they ate macaroni with tomatoes their mother canned, meat was reserved for Sunday dinner. Somehow, she made one chicken serve 10 people. Alice’s piece was a wing, her mother always ate the neck. Alice and her two younger brothers spent a lot of time roaming the woods on their farm, scaling the steep ravine, getting their feet wet in the creek and picking the many wild flowers for their mother. In 1967, Alice started at Dunn & Wilkes Abstract Office searching land records, which started her interest in genealogy and tracing their family tree. With the introduction of computers, it became much easier. In 1977, she moved to the Allegan County Treasurer’s Office, retiring after 38 years in 2015. Alice is survived by her husband of 50 years, Roger; son, Chad; siblings, Arthur and Ernest Coffey and Angela Belden; many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Martha Novotny, Dena Coffey, Aleta Story; brother, Louise; and infant son, Kyle. Following her wishes, cremation has taken place. The family will meet friends Saturday, April 29, 2023 from 10 AM until time of Memorial Service at 11 AM at Merson Church, Gobles, MI, Pastor Greg Carlson officiating. The family suggests memorials to Wings Home or Harbor Humane Society in Holland. Arrangements by the Bloomingdale Chapel, D. L. Miller Funeral Home, www.dlmillerfuneralhome.com.
Monday, November 25, 2024
