Alice Louise Cronin

Alice Cronin was born June 29, 1934, in Grand Island, Nebraska to Carl & Teresa McGuire. She passed into eternal life July 21, 2022. The oldest of two children, Alice was born and baptized into a strong Catholic family attending twelve years at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Grand Island. She and husband Paul raised their family in the Catholic faith and were very involved in the Catholic community, particularly at St. Joseph’s Catholic School and Bishop Kelly High School.
In 1955 Alice received a letter from Paul Cronin, an army soldier serving in Korea. Encouraged by an uncle living with the Cronin family in Nampa, ID, Alice began corresponding with Paul. Over the next year a friendship & love developed. Following Paul’s discharge, he visited Alice in Nebraska and she in turn visited Idaho. They were engaged in June 1956, married in Grand Island, NE June 8, 1957, and began their life together in Boise, ID. They were married 36 years at the time of Paul’s passing October 24, 1993.
Alice loved children of all ages. She was blessed with four sons Don, Tim, Rick, and Dave, nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. While she never got the daughter she always wanted, she cherished her daughters-in-law and had a special bond with her nieces. She was a stay-at-home mom until her youngest began first grade. She then expanded her care of children by working at the Bishop Kelly High School cafeteria. She spent over 25 years at BK, retiring as the cafeteria manager.
Family gatherings were important to Alice and she was always willing to host in order to get everyone together. Alice was an excellent cook. From an early age she loved cooking, first experimenting on her father, then feeding her husband and four hungry boys. She loved to garden and always had beautiful flower beds and bountiful vegetable gardens.
Alice was a woman of courage, strength, and resilience who faced every trial with dignity and grace.
Alice was preceded in death by her parents, husband Paul, son Tim, grandson Nathan, and daughters-in-law Kathleen and Mary. She is survived by her sister JoAnn Lynch, sons Don, Rick (Ann), and Dave (Marcy Moore), daughter-in-law Vicki Cronin, grandchildren Amber (Ben) McGarvey, Eric (Mary) Cronin, Ashley (Phil) Walker, Zac (Codi) Cronin, Jake (Jacqueline) Cronin, Jed Cronin, Gabe Cronin, Dan (Kristi) Taylor, and Adam (Stephanie) Phillips, nine great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family thanks Daniela Retegan and her family at By His Grace Home for their loving care of Alice the final weeks of her life. Additional thanks to Alice’s wonderful hospice care team Mikki, Megan, and Cynthia of St. Luke’s Hospice. Memorials may be made to Bishop Kelly High School 7009 Franklin Road, Boise, ID 83709 or a charity of your choice.