Alice Haltof Neff
June 18, 1921 - July 25, 2019

Alice Haltof Neff

Born 6.18.1921 Summerlee, West Virginia
Died 7.25.2019 Issaquah, Washington

The youngest of four children of an immigrant family from the Czech Republic, Alice was raised in Gary, Indiana where she graduated from Horace Mann High School and Gary Business College. Musical instruments were the entertainment of the day during her childhood, pre -TV, so she played the saxophone, clarinet and the cello. She dabbled in nursing and did some modeling before she and Roy moved to Long Island, New York. Shortly after marriage Roy spent several years in Africa during WWII. Alice attended Chicago Art Institute and was the secretary to the Vice President of US Steel in Chicago. After Nan and Janet were born she and Roy moved to Mercer Island where they built a home. Alice was always supportive of Roy's boat building endeavors, including the 38 ft yawl in the backyard! She sewed boat covers and leather steering wheel covers on her sewing machine for their sailboats. Sailing the American and Canadian San Juans was a passion they shared. Alice even spoke on the radio in the cockpit of a commercial aircraft as she was flying over the Pacific to greet Roy as he navigated a sailboat in the Victoria-Maui sailboat race. (imagine that! Those were the days!). After Roy's retirement they built a home in LaConner on the water with a view of the Rainbow Bridge, and then snowbirded to the Scottsdale area. They were planning to build another house in the Boulders area outside of Phoenix when Roy passed away in 1992. After Roy's death Alice moved to Providence Point and finally Timber Ridge in Issaquah where she passed away at 98 years of age.
Artistic talent ran throughout the Haltof clan, and Alice painted, carved wood and created paper mache' figurines that were sold in the Bergdorf Goodman Christmas catalog, much to her delight.
Alice stood tall through her blindness, even traveling on an Around the World Cruise after Roy had passed.
Alice is survived by two daughters; Janet D Smith (Dan), and Nan A LaBell (Jan), four grandsons; Douglas McRayde (Doreen), Count LaBell, Scott Smith (Maureen) and Bryan Smith (Susan) and three great grandchildren; Tanner Smith, Mikayla Smith and Kaitlyn Smith.
She will be deeply missed by those who loved her.

Nazdaroviye Alice!

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