Alice N. Cruise

Alice N. Cruise, 99 of Kearney formerly of Pleasanton, died Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at Mt. Carmel Rehabilitation and Nursing Home. Private family services will be held at the Pleasanton Cemetery. Cards may be sent to the family, care of Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl, 2421 Avenue A, Kearney, NE 68847. Memorials are suggested to the Pleasanton Volunteer Fire Department. Alice Norene (Dorothy) Cruise was born March 12, 1921 to Vern N. and Helen L. Dorothy at the family farm south of Pleasanton, Nebraska. She was the oldest of three children: Alice, Ray, and Irene. She attended rural school District 87 which was located near her home. She graduated from eighth grade in 1935 and from Kearney High School in the spring of 1939. On June 15, 1941 Alice married Robert Cruise. They eloped to Kansas and kept their marriage a secret until later that summer. Eventually, they told their parents and they helped them get started with a small house and simple furnishings. It was a modest beginning to a marriage that would last 78 years. Alice and Bob were blessed with four children. Karen, JoAnne, Ronald, and Randy. Over the years, Alice was a farmer’s wife, busy mother, proud grandmother to 17 grandchildren and great grandmother to 45 great grandchildren. Alice collected antique dishes and Christmas houses. Over the holidays she would set up a complete village for the family to enjoy. She was an excellent cook, a meticulous bookkeeper, and loved growing roses. She was a long-time member of the Majors Neighborhood Extension Club and a member of the First United Methodist Church of Kearney. She enjoyed being a part of the United Methodist Women and held several positions over the years. Left to cherish her memory are children, Karen Crookshank of Loveland, CO, JoAnne Unick and husband Ken, Ron Cruise and wife Peggy all of Pleasanton, NE, Randy Cruise and wife Debra of Kearney, NE; grandchildren, Cammie Spence, Craig Crookshank, Cindy Bender and husband Roger, Christine Jenson and husband James all of Colorado; Michael Unick and wife Julie, Rory Cruise and wife Anna, Megan Mayo and husband Brett, Justin Cruise and wife Heather, Kyle Cruise and wife Lindsay all of Pleasanton, NE; Jon Unick and significant other Paige Arnold, Amanda Albers and husband Shane, Nicholas Cruise and wife Aubrey all of Kearney, NE; Charity Kuehn and husband Joseph, Eric Cruise and wife Jenessa all of Lincoln, NE; Holli Zuck and husband Chip of Mission Hills, KS, Jennifer Smith and husband Brad of Waunakee, WI; 42 great grandchildren; sister, Irene Newman of Kearney; many nieces, nephews; other relatives, and friends. Alice was preceded in death by her husband Robert V. Cruise who died November 27, 2019; parents Vern and Helen Dorothy; brother Ray Dorothy; sisters-in-law Betty Dorothy and Connie Cruise; brothers-in-law Harold Newman and Warren Cruise; son-in law Fenton Crookshank; granddaughter Cathleen Crookshank; two great granddaughters Lucy Cruise and Cecelia Mayo, and great grandson Barrett Cruise.

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Alice N. Cruise

March 21, 1921 - May 27, 2020