Alice Ann (Butgereit) Flood

Alice Ann (Butgereit) Flood passed away on December 14, 2024 at the age of 82. Originally from Benton Harbor, Michigan, Alice had been living in Maryland with her daughter Elizabeth (Flood) Iseminger and her son-in-law Damian Iseminger. She is survived by them, by her sister Dianne Watkins, by many nieces and nephews, and by beloved family friends Sandra Cooney and her daughter Jessica Cooney. She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Flood; her siblings Dean (Sandy) Butgereit, Bernard (Judy) Butgereit, Philip (Joanne) Butgereit, and Larry Butgereit; and by her sister- and brother-in-law Ruth and Dave King.

Alice lived for 40 years in Greenfield, Indiana, where she raised her daughter Beth. Alice worked for Better Homes and Gardens real estate in Greenfield during the 1980s. Afterwards, she became a school assistant and ran the library at Lincoln Park Elementary for several years, a job which combined her love of children, literature, and reading. Those who were involved with Lincoln Park at that time may remember her “million coins campaign”, a successful fund drive she initiated in which children collected one million coins to go toward books for the school library. In 2003, Alice began to work as a music cataloger at the Butler University Library. She was able to take a week long music cataloging training at the Cook Music Library at Indiana University, and she enjoyed her work in cataloging very much.

Alice loved to read, and in recent years was a voracious reader of all kinds of biographies, as well as various books about astronomy and nature. She found stories of people overcoming obstacles an inspiration, and one of her favorite heroes was Helen Keller. A favorite Keller quote was, “One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.”

A lifelong lover of music, Alice studied cello throughout her growing up years. She also sang, and she traveled throughout the southern and central US with a women’s vocal trio during her college years, from which she related many stories. 

Alice grew up attending Crystal Springs Church of God in Benton Harbor. She attended Gulf Coast Bible College in Houston, Texas, where she met her husband Paul. Alice’s faith in the engulfing, always abiding love and compassion of God carried her through many difficult times in her life. She could often be heard humming and singing hymns as she moved around the house.

Alice lived her life with courage and gentleness, depth and compassion. She was loved by so many people whose lives she touched. She was known for sending thoughtful notes to people she knew, as well as to friends and colleagues of her daughter Beth. She will be remembered for her gentle and gracious presence and for her love of life.

A memorial service will be held in Indiana at a later date. Contributions in her memory for the Howard County Food Bank may be sent to Community Action Council of Howard County, 9820 Patuxent Woods Dr, Columbia, MD 21046.