Alice Woodsmall

Alice Woodsmall, 87, of Mt. Pleasant, IA, died Tuesday, June 4, 2013, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 9, 2013, from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel, where the family will receive friends from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held Monday, June 10th, at 10:30 a.m. at the Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel, with Dr. Larry Pickard and Mr. H. Wayne Nelson officiating. Burial will be in the Forest Home Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established to Hope Haven or Hope Haven Flexible Services. Born November 20, 1925, in Emmet County, IA, Alice Elnora was the daughter of Frank Hassell and Elsie Marie (Mennen) Johnson. She was a 1943 graduate of Mt. Pleasant High School and attended AIC in Davenport. On June 20, 1948, she married Wendell W. "Barney" Woodsmall in Mt. Pleasant. To this union, a son, Glen Dean was born. As a special needs child, Alice and Barney devoted their lives to Glen as he quickly became the center of their hearts. Alice initially worked with the Henry County Association for Retarded Children (ARC) to establish one of the first schools for developmentally disabled children. She made sure that Glen participated in many of the programs that were made available to him. She was actively involved in the development of Hope Haven School in Burlington in 1972 and the opening of Flexible Industries of Mt. Pleasant in 1998. She was vitally involved in both of these programs over the years. In 2010, Alice completed an autobiographical book that detailed memories of Glen's life and the wonderful memories of hope he left behind. Alice enjoyed many years working in the billing department of the Rural Electric Cooperative (Access Energy) in Mt. Pleasant. She retired from that position to spend more time with her son and family in 1974. She was a community minded and was a member of the Henry County Health Center Auxiliary, the West Side Mother's Club and ARC. At the Henry County Health Center she volunteered her time as the book-keeper for the Life Line Program and supported the program for 25 years. Alice is survived by her husband, Wendell "Barney" Woodsmall of Mt. Pleasant, IA; four sisters, Helen Clawson of Burlington, IA, Hazel Weaver of Mt. Pleasant, IA, Ruth Klopfenstein of Winfield, IA, and Donna Conaway of Mt. Pleasant, IA. Also surviving are numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Preceding Alice in death were her parents and her son Glen Woodsmall.