Alice Redfearn (Whitten)

Alice Redfearn, born March 9, 1930, Bartow, Florida, to Edward Earl Whitten and Donna Crews Whitten, passed away on May 31, 2022. She was predeceased by her beloved husband of nearly 70 years, Paul L. Redfearn Jr. "Les". She is survived by her son Paul L. Ill and his wife, Denise, and son James Jeffrey "Jim". Alice has two granddaughters Ashley Welch and Lauren Collums, and one step-grandson, Daniel Jeffries, and has five great grandchildren, Paxton and Bennett Welch, Madilyn Collums, and Jesse and Jordan Jeffries.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Speaks Suburban Chapel, 18020 East 39th Street South, Independence, MO on Monday, June 13th at 6pm to honor our precious Alice. Family will receive friends from 5-6pm as well. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the Missouri State Foundation in Honor of the Paul and Alice Redfearn Endowed Undergraduate Research Award Fund and mailed to MSU Foundation, 300 South Jefferson, Springfield, MO 65806.
Alice and Les were married on June 11, 1949, in Bartow, Florida, and lived an adventurous life together. Les served in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corp. from 1950-1954, serving in California and Japan. Paul Ill was born at Camp Cook Army Hospital in California in 1951, and Jim was born at Tokyo Army Hospital in Japan in 1954. Alice returned to the United States caring for two small children sailing alone from Japan to California on a U.S. naval ship, later moving back to Florida. After Les received his Ph.D. from Florida State University in 1957, the family moved to Springfield, MO. Les worked for over three decades as Emeritus Professor of Biology (Botany) for Missouri State University. After raising their sons, Alice worked as a Secretary at a law office and then for MSU Athletic Department. She was active in church and university activities, enjoyed watching the Lady Bears Basketball Team, knitting, gardening, and was an avid reader. Les served as a Councilman and Mayor of Springfield from 1973 to 1981, and Alice gladly served by his side. Since Les specialized in the study of mosses and liverworts, he collected all over the world, and Alice travelled with him throughout North America, Provinces of Canada, Japan, Yunnan in China and to the Soviet Union.
In 2009, Les and Alice moved to Independence, MO, to be closer to their family, where
Alice became a faithful Chiefs fan. They were members of the Christ United Methodist Church,
Independence, MO. She loved to sing and play piano, and was a volunteer at church and Powell Gardens. They moved into the Benton House Senior Facility in Blue Springs, MO, in 2017, and Les passed on November 26, 2018. Alice has been surrounded by her family and friends, and through it all, Alice maintained her positive attitude and happy spirit, and serves as an inspiration to all that knew her.