Alice C. Atanasoff was the wife of the late John V. Atanasoff, the Inventor of the first Electronic Digital Computer.Atanasoff designed and demonstrated the computer while at Iowa State University in 1937-1939. Alice married John in 1948 where they worked at the Naval Ordnance laboratory in Washington D.C. They later started the Ordnance Engineering Corporation that developed and manufactured products for the military and automation systems. The company was moved to Frederick, Maryland and sold the company to Aerojet/ General Corporation. Alice suggested to Clark Mollenhoff, a" Pulitzer Prize" winning author to investigate and author the book, "The Forgotten Father of the Computer" that highlighted her husband break-through invention. Alice was born August 2, 1921 in Hamilton County, Iowa tothe late William Herbert and Grace Leona McConnell Crosby. After attending Harmony Elementary, a one-room school for eight years, she graduated from Lincoln High School in 1939. She taught for 5 years and then worked in Washington D.C. for the Rationing Board and later the War Production Board. The Atanasoffs had a farm in Monrovia, Maryland and enjoyed together growing vegetables, flowers and raising cattle. Alice was an avid reader and loved travelling and being with her family and friends. Alice passed away at 4:15 am on April 23,2013, after a prolonged illness. She was preceded in death by her sisters Marjorie Crosby Juhl, Miriam Crosby Summey and brother Donald Crosby. She has two brothers still living: Owen Crosby of Webster City, Iowa and Victor Crosby and his wife Esther Austin Crosby of Statesville, North Carolina and several nieces and nephews. She also has three step-children Elsie A. Whistler(deceased), Joanne A. Gathers, John V. Atanasoff II and twelve grandchildren Memorial service will be held at 10 am on Saturday, April 27, 2013, at the Keeney and Basford Funeral Home, 106 East Church Street, Frederick. Interment will follow in the Pine Grove Cemetery, Mt. Airy. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in her memory to the Auxilary of Citizens care and Rehabbilitation Center, 1920 Rosemont Ave., Frederick, MD 217802. Online condolences may be shared at keeneybasford.com.
