Alice Toepfer

SAXTONS RIVER -- Alice Mary Toepfer, 86, of Saxtons River died March 7, 2006, peacefully at home surrounded by her family.

She was born on Dec. 30, 1919, in Kimball S.D., daughter of Dr. Ralph Willy and Katherine (Foltz) Willy, one of six children.

She graduated from Beloit College in 1941, and in 1942, married Louis Adelbert Toepfer, her college sweetheart.

Before settling in Saxtons River, she lived in Natick and Harvard, Mass., Hunting Valley and Columbus, Ohio, and Athens.

Her love of restoring old houses led her in 1984, at the age of 65, to open the Brick House Tile Co. in Keene N.H., with her son John. She worked in the store until 1994 and watched it become home to the finest selection of ceramic tile in New England

A remarkable gardener, her beautiful flower gardens in Saxtons River were always a favorite on the annual garden tours sponsored by groups like Yellow Barn and the Dummerston Garden Club. She greeted anyone who dropped in to see the gardens with big smile and warm enthusiasm, often encouraging them with seedlings, slips of plants and lots of advice.

Survivors include her four sons, John Toepfer and Anthony Toepfer of Keene, Andrew Toepfer of Athens, and Daniel Toepfer of Neelyton, Pa.; her brothers John Willy of Centerville, Tenn., and Neal (Pat) Willy of Portal, Ariz., seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Her oldest son, Thomas Michael Toepfer, died in 1993, and her husband died in 2000.

A celebration of Mrs. Toepher's life will be held at her Saxtons River home at later date to be announced.