Alyce M. Keiper

Alyce Marie Keiper passed away at the age of 98 on January 20, 2012 at Mt. Carmel Nursing Home of Kearney, Nebraska. Visitation will be held Thursday, January 24 from 5:00-7:00 at the Gibbon Baptist Church, and funeral services will be held Friday, January 25 at 10:30 a.m. at the Gibbon Baptist Church. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery in Gibbon, Nebraska. Apfel Funeral Home of Wood River is caring for the family. Alyce was born to Alfred Hibberd and Sadie Griffin Hibberd on May 21, 1914. She married her high school sweetheart, Harlan Charles Mike Keiper, in York, Nebraska on February 11, 1935 and lived their entire lives in Gibbon, Nebraska. Harlan Mike and Alyce farmed, raised livestock, ran their own dairy and raised their family of three: Shirley Skow (Dale) of Grand Island, Nebraska; Robert of Bellingham, Washington, and Donald (Linda) of Gibbon. Alyce was a loyal and active member of Gibbon Baptist Church where she served on numerous committees. She particularly enjoyed serving as chairman of the Wedding Committee and was a member of the choir. She was recognized in 2004 for being an 80-year member of the Gibbon Baptist Church and was recently recognized as an 80-year alumnus of Gibbon High School. She shared her talents in many ways throughout the community and was well known for her direction of Gibbons Kitchen Band which performed in numerous Nebraska cities. For years Alyce made sure the young people of Gibbon had a fun and safe Halloween by helping plan, set up, and perform as the gypsy fortune teller in the communitys Halloween parade and party. Alyce loved to be with people and was known for her ability to crack a joke, tell a story or sing a song. She always had a piece of candy in her pocket for that restless child who didnt want to sit still in church or the resident in the local nursing home who appreciated her stopping by to say hello. She was instrumental in the creation of Good Samaritan Center of Gibbon and worked there for several years, loving every minute of it! Had she been given the opportunity, she would have been a wonderful nurse! Always the domestic, Alyce loved to sew, crochet, embroider and knit. She made her children and grandchildren beautiful keepsake quilts and later became known for her potato bags that she made and loved giving as gifts. Her granddaughters were the lucky recipients of hundreds of Barbie clothes and a variety of stuffed animals that she created. She was well known throughout the area for the beautiful cakes she baked and decorated. Hundreds of couples had their wedding cakes made by Alyce, and she had albums full of photographs of the wedding, anniversary, birthday, graduation, and all other kinds of special occasion cakes that she made over the years. Her pies were delicious, and her homemade beef and noodles and garden fresh green beans with bacon were beyond compare! Alyces goal was to make at least one person smile or laugh each day. She touched many lives in her 98 years with her quick wit and humor and her care and compassion. She was a strong and stubborn little lady with British roots and was unquestionably opinionated, but her heart was tender and warm...right up to the very last beat. She was greeted in Heaven by her husband, H.C. Mike, her parents, her sister Blanche Bolin and daughter-in-law Helen (Robert) Keiper. She is survived by her children and their spouses Surviving grandchildren are: Julie Skow Hehnke (Jay) of Grand Island; Jolynn Skow (Keith) Henry of Junction City, Kansas; Sherri Skow (Rick) Gouse of Richmond, Vermont; Kelli Keiper (Rob) Frew of Ames, Iowa; and Michael Keiper and wife Jill of Dallas, Texas. Great-grandchildren are: Madisen Peterson of Gibbon, Nebraska; Chandler Hehnke of Grand Island, Nebraska; Olivia Peterson and Paige Peterson of Ames, Iowa; Lilly and Brady Gouse of Richmond, Vermont and step-great-grandchildren Taylor Frew of Lincoln, Nebraska and Perrin Frew of Ames, Iowa. Memorials are suggested to Gibbon Baptist Church or the Gibbon Senior Center.