June 9, 1929 – October 28, 2021
Alyce Matilda Lindberg Densow was born in Gleason, Wisconsin, on June 9th, 1929, to Alice and Verner Lindberg. She was their eldest child, and had beautiful full curls which often likened her to the iconic Shirley Temple.
Alyce spent much of her childhood on her grandfather John Samuel Evans’ farm, following him everywhere. He instilled in her the moral lens through which she viewed the world. She often said that he was her “rock” that got her through the hard times…and there were plenty of those growing up in the Great Depression Era.
At the age of 12, Alyce knew she was “destined” to be a writer when she won an essay contest; she had to convince her teacher that she hadn’t copied the essay from somewhere else first! She continued to explore that love of writing and her love for learning by joining different groups and getting involved in different projects, and she published numerous short stories for young adults in many different magazines. Later in life, she worked with the Lake Country Reporter Newspaper, an experience she was very proud of. Alyce’s column, Heading West in a Wheelbarrow, was published in the Red River Miner’s very first edition in 1993. Readers have enjoyed her quotations, anecdotes, humor, and sensitivity every week since.
Alyce was married to her husband, Ken Densow, in January of 1947. Their first child, Jerry, was born in February of 1949; daughter Linda in April of 1952; daughter Kathi (deceased 2009) in June 1955; and son Steven (deceased 1976) in March 1962.
In 1961, they moved to a house in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, right on the lake. Years there were happy with her family and friends, hosting parties in her home and on the lake. Alyce and her children often commented about how much they love and miss Pewaukee Lake.
In early April of 1975, Alyce and Ken drove to Santa Fe to visit a friend, who told them they “absolutely had to visit Red River”. They drove up in a snowstorm and got a room at the only hotel open at the time, the Red River Inn. The next morning, waking to sunny skies and melting snow in the beautiful scenery, they fell in love with Red River. Ken teased Alyce, and told her that if the Red River Inn was for sale in June, he would buy it for her. They did come back in June, and it was for sale, and they bought it! They drove back to Wisconsin, put in their notices, and took over the business on August 1st, 1975. And there they stayed. Many lifelong friendships were developed, including with Winnie Hamilton, Florence Oldham, Heinz and Ilse Seifert, Tony and Ilse Woerndle, and Johnny and Rosie Brandenburg, among many others. Her children slowly followed their parents’ lead, and all eventually moved to Red River, raising their own children there.
Running a business is never without its hardships, especially for those with no entrepreneurial experience, especially in a tourist-driven economy. Despite the challenges, Ken and Alyce persevered and succeeded. Having worked since the of age 16, Alyce had the fortitude to keep trooping with the business after her husband’s death in October 2000. Selling the business to her daughter Kathi and son-in-law Dirk, in 2007, allowed her to finally retire at the age of 79.
In 2003, Alyce began “keeping company” with her long-time friend Bob Prunty. They spent much time together, “putzing” around, visiting museums, taking drives to nearby historical places, and spending many hours engaged in long philosophical conversations. They spent as much time together as possible until his death in late 2008. Shortly following that sad loss, her daughter, Kathi, passed away in April 2009.
These significant losses only worked to solidify Alyce’s faith in God and in her own Divinity. Her upbeat attitude and youthful personality were apparent to all around her. A true joy in her life was having her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren near, and she often commented how other grandmothers are not so lucky to have so much of their family around all the time.
With the chapter ending of the family owning the business, she made the decision to live with her son Jerry in Montrose, Colorado, moving there at the end of June, 2021. There she enjoyed a few months of being surrounded by family, new friends, and old friends. Alyce passed quietly in her sleep in the early morning hours of October 28th, 2021. She will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved her.
Alyce was preceded in death by her husband, Ken, son Steve, daughter Kathi, sister Marilyn, dear companion Bob Prunty, and many other dear friends. She is survived by her brother Lonnie (Dorothy), brother Willy, daughter Linda (Ed), son Jerry; granddaughters Amber, Sara (Brandon), and Clare (Ben); grandsons Pilgrim, Mariah (Lindsey), Dylan, and Josh; great-granddaughters Abigail, Lily, Dharma, Raegan, and baby girl to be; and great-grandsons, Aidan, Christopher, and Ryder.
Due to concerns about COVID and large gatherings, please join us for her memorial in the spring near her birthday which will be celebrated outdoors.
If you would like to send donations in her honor, her philanthropic passions were the Red River Historical Society (PO BOX 384, Red River, NM 87558), the Friends of the Library, (PO BOX 1020, Red River, NM 87558) the Southwest Indian Foundation (PO BOX 86, Gallup, NM 87305-9901), and her spiritual home, Mountain Institute (PO BOX 215, Ouray, CO 81427).
Lovingly written by her granddaughters Sara Saint-Hogan and Amber Rateau.
