It is with heavy hearts that we remember Sr. Alice Wittenbach, a luminous presence who graced Aquinas College.

From 1969 to 2004, Sr. Alice brought her passion for learning into every classroom, teaching biology and humanities with wisdom and deep compassion. Her doctorate in botany from the University of Oklahoma was the foundation for a lifelong journey of discovery that she shared generously with students and colleagues.

Perhaps no endeavor captured Sr. Alice's spirit more beautifully than her leadership of the Tully Cross Ireland program, which she guided a remarkable eight times. Through her dedication, she wove an enduring friendship between a small Irish town and our college community—a connection that earned her the honor of being named "Spirit of Ireland" for the 2011 Irish Heritage Society St. Patrick's Day parade in Grand Rapids.

Her commitment to justice shone through her service on boards including the Grand Rapids Urban League, Heartside Ministries, and the Inner City Christian Federation. As a member of the Dominican Sisters Stewardship Committee and Care of Earth Committee, she lived her values daily, understanding that caring for our planet was both a scientific necessity and a sacred calling.

Even in retirement, Sr. Alice's devotion to Aquinas never wavered. As coordinator of alumni class reunions from 2004 to 2012, she continued nurturing the connections that meant so much to her. Her induction into the Aquinas College Hall of Fame in 2013 was a fitting tribute to someone who had given so much of herself to our community.

Those who knew Sr. Alice remember her as both a beloved professor and an infectious spirit. Her legacy lives on in the countless students she inspired, the programs she built, and the communities she served with such a generous heart.