Reverend Alice Adel Bijjani, 64, of Trenton went to be with God on Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2010, in the St. Francis Medical Center. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, she came to Iowa as a baby and lived in Pennsylvania and Emporia, KS, where she attended Emporia Senior High School. She received a degree in biology from Carleton College in Northfield, MN, and worked as a housing inspector for 20 years for the city of St. Paul. She received her Master’s in Divinity from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, IL. Alice began her ministry in Minnesota, and in 1991 became pastor of Point Breeze Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, PA. She came to Trenton in 1996, where she became pastor of Bethany Presbyterian Church and served as secretary of the Urban Mission Cabinet for over 10 years. As a minister, she had a heart for the needs of the inner city and many of her church’s programs reflected that. She was very intentional about her friendships, was very giving and was a great listener and counselor. She loved the outdoors, Sudoku, photography, and camping with her husband. She had also worked in costuming and photography for the Capital City Theater Group in Minneapolis for over 10 years. Predeceased by her parents, George Y. and Anabel E. (Clark) Bijjani, she is survived by her husband, Jeffrey S. Bacorn; two sisters, Grace Bijjani of Snohomish, WA, and Sylvia Kertesz of Mill Creek, WA; two nieces, Allison and Lindsay Kertesz; two great-nephews, Jordan and Austin; one stepson, James Bacorn, one stepdaughter, Tonia Bacorn, and two step grandchildren.
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Alice lived on my floor one year – I think it was junior year, in Myers – and she was studying voice. Her ambition was to sing “un bel di” from Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. As an opera buff, I was very sympathetic to this but do not remember that I ever heard her sing it. She, of course, was somewhat frustrated that one didn’t start out singing arias at the beginning of one’s voice studies.
Karla Menze Vandersypen’68
Comments
Alice lived on my floor one year - I think it was junior year, in Myers - and she was studying voice. Her ambition was to sing "un bel di" from Puccini's Madama Butterfly. As an opera buff, I was very sympathetic to this but do not remember that I ever heard her sing it. She, of course, was somewhat frustrated that one didn't start out singing arias at the beginning of one's voice studies.