Alice M. Spriggs

Alice Spriggs, 100, of Creston, passed away Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at Greater Regional Medical Center. Celebration of life service will be 9 a.m., Saturday, July 22 at Pearson Family Funeral Service & Cremation Center of Creston. Family will receive friends 7-9 p.m., Friday, July 21 at Pearson Family Funeral Service & Cremation Center.

Memorial contributions are directed to the Creston CWC for the hanging baskets in uptown Creston. Memories can be shared online at www.pearsonfuneralhomes.com.

Alice Marie (Mikkelsen) Spriggs was born Aug. 11, 1922, to Niels and Marie Mikkelsen in a farmhouse in Nevinville. She was the 13th of 14 children. In 1944 she married Verne Spriggs, to this union had three children: Jeanette, John and Mike.

They farmed east of Creston until 1962 when they started their own business. Vernie’s Drapery was located on Adams Street in Creston and specialized in carpeting and window treatments. A few years later, they built the current location on Townline Road which is still in business today. She loved shopping for an abundance of holiday decorations and decorating the house inside and out. Family holidays involved a tradition of big meals, where grandma made sure to prepare everyone’s favorite dish. She insisted everyone use the “good china” during holiday meals. Grandma’s favorite hobby was gardening and mowing her lawn, or as she called it, “Hoeing and Mowing.”

She spent numerous years following the grandchildren to their numerous sporting events and dance recitals. But she will best be know forever as the “Harmonica Grandma” for her debut performance and blue ribbon winning at the Iowa State Fair.

She was preceded in death by her youngest son, Mike; husband, Verne; granddaughter, Monica and son-in-law, Marion.

Those left to cherish her memory are her children Jeanette Gildsig and John Spriggs and generations of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.