Obituary

Alice (Trodden) Lafond passed away peacefully on September 26th, 2015 in Bellingham, WA, surrounded by her daughters singing “Happy Trails to You.” The daughter of Carrie (Atchison) and John Patrick Trodden, she was born February 8, 1927 in Molson, WA and moved to Bellingham as a young child, where she lived on Cottonwood Avenue and graduated from Bellingham High School in 1945. Despite having attended the same high school a year apart, she and her husband Jim met on a blind date in San Francisco and were married in 1948, giving birth to 4 daughters in the next 5 years.

Alice’s greatest pride was her family. Initially, that meant raising four daughters and supporting her husband’s pursuit of higher education and passion for teaching (Jim retired as the Napavine Schools Superintendent). Yet Alice was also a tremendous source of joy in the lives of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, constantly visiting to aid tired parents or whisking kids away for vacations at their home in Napavine, at the family cabins in Chesaw or at Neptune Beach, or on the tiny sailboats named in honor of their eldest grandchildren. After many years of “living on I-5,” she and Jim moved to Neptune Beach for good in 2003, yet were always ready to take to the car at a moment’s notice for any family party or grandchild event.

Alice was equally famous for her loving generosity and her sass—while never one to self-censor, she was always the first to roll up her sleeves and take care of anyone who was ill or hurting. She loved to play cards, both teaching children to play Kings’ Corners and penny-ante poker and logging thousands of hands of “Rilla’s Game” with Jim, as well as to sing along as Jim played the piano. Feisty, funny, and fun-loving, she adored parties, and could always be counted on to host happy hour or cook for family gatherings at every conceivable holiday. She was particularly fond of the Chesaw Rodeo, and was such a fixture that in 2007 she was named the rodeo’s Grand Marshall.

Alice is preceded by her husband Jim Lafond, her brother Patrick Trodden, and her best friends Jim and Dottie Carroll of Napavine. She is remembered by her daughters Jeanne (Bill) Carroll and Mary Lafond (Jim Sutter) of Neptune Beach, Patricia Lafond (John Cleary) of Centralia, and Kathryn Lafond (George Brooks) of Bainbridge Island; grandchildren W. Randy (Terri) Carroll, Brandon Norquist, James (Margo) and Anthony Sutter, Genevieve, Ian, and Kevin Brooks; great-grandchildren AJ (Alli), Brandon, Jon, and Emily Carroll, and Wyatt Little-Norquist; great-great grandson Maddox Carroll; sisters Ruth Garrett, Olympia, and Rosella Nesheim, Burlington; sister-in-law Marylee Lafond Owings, Anacortes; and many adoring nieces and nephews.

Special thanks to Whatcom County Hospice and the staff of Highgate Assisted Living. The family requests memorials go to the Sandy Point Firefighters Association, (4332 Sucia Drive, Ferndale, WA 98248). An Irish wake and memorial luncheon will be held at 1:00pm on Saturday, October 24, 2015 at the home of Jeanne and Bill Carroll (4148 Georgian Drive, Ferndale). Please come with stories to share.