RUSHFORD, Minn. — Alice Jahn Dammen of Rushford, in her 65th year  passed away in her home on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011, surrounded by family.

She was born on Aug. 11, 1946, in Sparta, Wis., to Sylvia and Donald Jahn. She graduated from Tomah High School in 1964 and went on to graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1968 and married Albert Nelson and later divorced. She completed her master’s at the University of New York-Buffalo school of library science in 1977.

Alice was an antique dealer and part owner of the antique center of La Crosse, Wis. She married Michael Dammen of Rushford, Minn., in 1995. She had a great love for antique clothing buttons,  books, nature and people. She had a vast appetite for travel, and traveled  to Paris with her daughter, Lacey, just because the price was right and visited her children several times in Scotland. She traveled with her husband, Michael, throughout Great Britain and Italy  to visit Teva & Ido. She went off to Hawaii as often as she could to visit her eldest son, Nick, and his family.  We all believed she had us live in faraway places so she would have an excuse to journey abroad.

She had an ability to seek out adventures in everyday living and her life’s philosophy and her kindness and respect to all things living will always  inspire us all to do the same. Even after being diagnosed terminally with leukemia, she continued her life journey to the very end flying off to Paris on a whim with her husband, Michael, to eat pastry and taking off again to be amongst the Douglas firs in Washington state with her good friend, Carol.

She was a wonderful woman, mother, wife, sister, friend and companion who has touched many people. We love you and will miss you. She is survived by her husband, Michael Dammen; a son, Nick Nelson (Brooke Meyers) and grandson Whistler of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii; a son, Teva Alexander Dekel (Ido Dekel) of IsraelItaly; a daughter, Lacey Looney (Craig Looney) of Prairie Du Chien, Wis.; her sister, Donna Coller (Buzz) of Wautoma, Wis.; and nephews, Clint Coller and  Nathan Coller (Kelli). She was preceded in death by her mother and father and niece, Rebecca Coller. There will be a celebration of life for Alice at her home in Rushford on Sunday, Aug.21, 2011, from 1 to 4 p.m. Bring a dish to pass and remember Alice with friends and family. Memorials may be given to doctors without borders:  333 Seventh Ave. (second floor), New York, N.Y., 10041-5004. She will be dearly missed by her family and circle of friends.