Alice Godfrey Berger

Alice Godfrey Berger, 80, of Marion, Illinois—formerly of Olney, Illinois and Jasper, Indiana—passed away on Sunday, November 1 in Marion due to complications from COVID-19.



Alice was born August 13, 1940, in Cisne, Illinois, the daughter of Fostine “Frosty” and Thelma Hedges Godfrey. She moved with her family to Olney when she was four and lived there until 1994 when she relocated to Jasper, Indiana. Following her 2015 retirement, and as she began to deal with dementia, she relocated to Marion.



She married Lloyd Berger on December 6, 1958, in Olney.



Alice graduated from East Richland High School in 1958, Eastern Illinois University in 1991, and earned a Masters in Social Work from the University of Illinois in Champaign in 1994. She subscribed to the view that it was Never Too Late.



She had two careers that brought her great joy and satisfaction: From 1970 to 1990, she was administrator and co-owner of Olney Care Center (today’s Helia Healthcare), and from 1994 to 2015, she was a licensed social worker at Southern Hills Counseling Center in Jasper. She also was a public speaker at many area churches and schools.



A woman of unwavering faith, Alice was a lifelong member of the Methodist church. In Olney, she was active in the community—including in the areas of mental health, women’s health and safety, and hospice work—for which she was honored as Richland County Woman of the Year in 1985.



Alice is survived by her son Douglas Berger of New York City; daughter and son-in-law Mary Beth and Dennis Long (Marion); granddaughter Caitlin Long and fiancé Tommy Lowry (Des Moines, Iowa); grandson Alex Long and partner Karianna Adamson (Los Angeles, California); brother John (Deborah) Godfrey (Olney); sister Sharon Fehrenbacher (Newton, Illinois); lifelong best friend Donna Rice Wade (Olney); and beloved kitty, conveniently named Kitty.



She also is survived by in-laws Clarence Berger (Noble, Illinois); Wayne (Judy) Berger (Olney); Mary Lou Murry (Olney); Evelyn Berger (Olney); Carolyn Berger (Effingham, Illinois); Ruth Troyer (Olney); Carolyn (Loren) Gallion (Noble).



She is preceded in death by her husband Lloyd in 1999, parents Frosty and Thelma Godfrey, sister-in-law Kathryn Marks, and brothers-in-law Glenn Berger, Dale Berger, and Donald Berger.



Alice will be cremated and a celebration of her great, big, action-packed, colorful life will be held at a future time when family and friends can gather to give gratitude for this extraordinary woman, whose life force was kick-ass until her final minutes in this life.



In honor of her lifelong love of reading and libraries, her family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Marion Public Library, Re: Alice Berger Donation, 206 S. Market St., Marion, Illinois 62959.



Meredith Funeral Home in Carbondale is in charge of arrangements. To share a story or memory of Alice visit www.meredithfh.com