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Alice Wilma Eiffert, age 92, peacefully passed away on Wednesday, May 28, 2008, at home, in Albuquerque. Born on January 18, 1916, in Moline, Kansas, Alice was the only child of Carl and Mollie (Cupp) Tilton. When she was three, the family moved to Roswell, NM. She had fond memories of enjoying the summers there, when she could roller skate all over town and buy vegetables from vendors who would come directly to her street with their horse-drawn carts. At the age of five when her parents gave her a piano, she started her lifelong interest in music, and spent every spare moment practicing. By the time she was in high school, she regularly played the piano to accompany soloists, instrumentalists, and choirs. As her family lived across the street from the Roswell Women's Club, and within a block of 4 churches, she kept busy supporting their music programs. At her high school graduation, in 1933, she accompanied several of the student choirs in their performances. As her plans for college were delayed due to the Great Depression, she looked for just the right music program emphasizing piano and organ. She found this at the College of the Pacific (now the University of Pacific) from which she received a Bachelors in Music in 1939. While there, she made many lifelong friendships, from her music activities and from her involvement in the Epsilon Lambda Sigma Sorority (later merging with Delta Gamma). After college, she taught music in the public school systems, in Fallon, NV, for one year, in Colusa, CA, for two years, and for one year, in Salinas, CA. In July 1943, Alice married Dr. Kenneth P. Eiffert, who was then a Captain in the Army Air Force Dental Corps and stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. When Ken was reassigned to the Santa Ana Air Base in California, the newlyweds resided on Balboa Island, near Newport. They loved Balboa Island, and after the war, returned several times for vacations. After the war, the couple returned to Albuquerque, and Alice played as interim or guest organist at various churches. From the late 1940's, Alice was the primary organist for Monte Vista Christian Church in Albuquerque; a position she loved for over 20 years. In 1967, she also started serving as an interim organist at Immanuel Presbyterian Church, and ultimately became the primary organist. Her role and title sometimes varied according to the needs of the church's music programs, but for the most part she was the primary organist until her retirement in December, 1991. Over the 4 decades, Alice played for countless weddings, funerals, church services, and Christmas Eve programs, worked with a wide range of musicians, choir directors and church staff, and took very seriously her music and the role it played in worship services. She was always delighted that sometimes many years later, couples would remind her that she had played for their weddings, and was even more delighted when she played for the weddings of their children. As with any church organist, she had to survive church politics, litany changes, different styles of musical directors, late wedding parties, ciphers in the organ pipes, and practicing in her winter coat in churches with no heat. She was always grateful for the opportunity to play her beloved organ. Alice was active in a number of organizations. These included the American Guild of Organists (AGO), Mu Phi Epsilon- an honorary music sorority, her college sorority Delta Gamma, the Albuquerque Dental Auxiliary, and the women's philanthropic organization, P. E. O. International, into which she was initiated in November, 1968. She supported the symphony, and hosted musical performances in her home. Alice's first priority, however, was her family. In the years before foods were labeled with their ingredients, she did research, and figured out how to cook and deal with the crazy food allergies of her husband and son. When her husband Ken was affected by cancer, she spent that difficult time caring for him, accompanying him on trips to specialists, and making special foods for him. Dr. Eiffert passed away in March, 1990. Alice insisted on strong coffee, loved ice coffee decades before Starbucks ever thought of it, disparaged tea, put green chili on almost anything, and made a great peach pie. She enjoyed her travels to Hawaii, Europe, Canada, and to San Diego, California, to visit her son, daughter-in-law, Leslie, and granddaughter, Suzy. When her health began to decline, Alice lived for several years in San Diego, before returning to her beloved home and beloved New Mexico. She was never entirely happy away from the Sandia Mountains and the bright blue New Mexico sky. Survivors include her son, Bill Eiffert and his wife, Leslie Hodge; and granddaughter, Suzy Eiffert, all of San Diego, Ca. Alice's family extends our sincere thanks to Kathy Johnson, PA from the UNM Health Services, and especially to Curtis and Carmen Hudson, for their wonderful care of Alice in her last years. They are proof that angels exist. A Visitation for Alice will be 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, May 31, at Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 114 Carlisle Blvd SE, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, (505) 265-7628. A Memorial Service, conducted by Pastor David Phillips, will follow immediately thereafter at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Cemetery, in Albuquerque. Funeral services are entrusted to: Daniels Family Funeral Services 3113 Carlisle Blvd NE Albuquerque, NM 87110 (505)884-1188 www.danielsfuneral.com
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