Alice Mae (Ward) Popp

Alice Mae Popp (nee Ward), age 98, passed away on August 15, 2020 at Meadows Care Center in Baraboo, Wisconsin, surrounded by loving family. She was born October 7, 1921 in Claremont, New Hampshire, the daughter of Gladys L. Butterfield (nee Freeman) and Claude T. Butterfield. Later her mother married Ira T. Ward who adopted Alice and who she considered to be her father. Alice's childhood in Sherborn, Massachusetts was the source of her memorable New England accent and strength. She was also known for her welcoming temperament, sense of humor, amazing memory, tidiness, attention to detail, politeness and properness, practicality, love for her family, and her always beautifully manicured nails! Alice always expressed genuine concern for others, and she was fiercely independent since she never wanted to bother anyone.

As a young woman, Alice attended Boston Business College and commuted from Sherborn to Boston daily for her job at a small insurance company where she replaced the first man drafted into WWII from the company. She used to talk about wearing her spectator pumps and white gloves on the train. She was introduced to her husband Ted by his divinity school friends. On New Year's Eve of a leap year, Alice proposed to Ted because, she said, "On leap year it was appropriate for the woman to propose." Their first home and church were in Roslindale, Massachusetts where they lived with their first two children, Jonas and Gladys. During the Korean War, Alice drove across the country to San Jose, California, "To be closer to Ted while he was in Korea as an army chaplain on a MASH Unit. I drove by myself with the two children. Gladys in a basket on the front seat and Jonas had the whole back seat, with his toys, to play in," Alice explained.

After her husband's return from Korea, the family returned to Massachusetts to tend to Grafton Unitarian Church. Alice would sometimes relate the duties of being a minister's wife. Later the family made Baraboo their home and she worked as a Teacher's Aide at South School and then moved into her area of expertise in the Sauk County Extension office. Alice spent twenty years --- in the pre-computer era --- keeping the extension office running smoothly with her skills in short hand, typing, and general office management. Upon retirement she and Ted spent ten years in Deland, Florida. After Ted's death, Alice came home to Baraboo to be near her daughter Gladys and family and friends.

One of the first residents at Oak Park, Alice often expressed appreciation for the staff and her friends there, who she affectionately referred to as her, "Oak Park family." Some of her daily pleasures included reading The Baraboo News, enjoying her lovely view of the Baraboo Bluffs, spying on visiting deer and birds, and tending to her plants.

Alice was preceded in death by her husband, Reverend Theodore Popp and is survived by her four children: son Jonas Popp living in Guatemala (deceased wife Nancy, granddaughter Roberta and husband David, great grandchildren Rosie and Noah,) daughter Gladys Proctor of Baraboo (husband Steve, granddaughter Sayward and husband Erick, granddaughter Elise and grand dog Sophia, who always brought a smile to Grandma's face!), daughter Karen Moore of Gaffney, South Carolina (husband Joe, granddaughter Tara, husband Dan and great granddaughter Claire, and granddaughter Mandy and husband Mike,) and Roberta Rose of Salt Lake City, Utah (husband Gary, grandchildren Kika and Tyki).

Alice's family gives many thanks and feels much appreciation to the staff of St. Clare Hospital and Meadows Care Center for so lovingly and compassionately taking care of Alice over the years and allowing her to pass peacefully as she desired. Non-Baraboo siblings also wish to express their gratitude and thank their sister Gladys and her family for all the love they have given and for all they have done for Mom over the years.

A celebration of life will be scheduled when the COVID-19-filled world allows all siblings to be together again to unite her ashes with Ted's at Walnut Hill Cemetery.

We love you and miss you, Mom/Grandma/Alice. In spite of our sadness that you have passed, we find solace in knowing that you are finally at rest.