Alice Irene (Iverson) Percival

Alice Percival was born in Bismarck, North Dakota to George Iverson and Lydia Zherbina Iverson. Her father was from Minnesota, her mother from St. Petersburg, Russia. Alice enjoyed a happy childhood in a close family steeped in reading, music, and languages. In 1951 Alice, her parents, and younger sister moved to Seattle. She graduated from the University of Washington, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, with a degree in Slavic Languages and Linguistics. She taught at the University of Washington before moving to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she worked as editor for the pre-eminent linguistics scholar Dr. Roman Jakobson at Harvard and MIT. At a linguistics conference in Bucharest, Romania, in 1967, she met her future husband, Dr. W. Keith Percival. They were married in 1968, first living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and then Lawrence, Kansas, where Keith held positions of Chair and Professor at the Universities of Wisconsin and Kansas, respectively. Throughout her life Alice was an essential colleague in Keith’s research. Subsequently they moved to Seattle.
Alice enjoyed traveling to many countries with her husband and family. She loved classical music, literature, dance, art, good conversation, nature, and animals (especially cats). Thoughtful, kind, and intensely loyal, Alice took a genuine interest in people. She was a modest, brave, generous and gallant woman who will be greatly missed. Her family and friends will always treasure the memories of the twinkle in her eye, her quick wit, and her compassion for others.
Beloved wife of Dr. W. Keith Percival, treasured sister of Helen Carter (George), George Iverson (Phyllis), and Mary June Iverson. Much loved aunt of Jeffrey Carter (Lisa Peterson), Laurie Carter, and Kim Iverson Headlee (Chris).
Celebration of life at 2 p.m., Sunday, August 21, at University Congregational Church, 4515 16th Ave NE, Seattle.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Olympic Music Festival or a charity of your choice.