Alice M. (Casteel) Hesford

Alice M. Hesford, 44, of Muscatine, Iowa passed away on Sunday, November 2, 2025 at Trinity Hospital in Rock Island, Illinois.  There will be a game night on Wednesday, November 19, 2025 starting at 5:30pm in the ballroom at the Merrill Hotel in Muscatine to celebrate Alice's life by playing some of her favorite games and sharing stories.  Snyder & Hollenbaugh Funeral & Cremation Services of Muscatine is assisting the family. Memorials in Alice’s memory may be made to her family.  Online condolences may be left to the family by visiting her obituary at www.sandhfuneralservice.com

Alice was born on June 20, 1981 in Kennet, Missouri to Johnny Casteel and Shelby Riley. She grew up and spent her life in Muscatine, Iowa. Alice’s life was centered around her family from a young age; growing up she spent much of her time with her brother John, and cousins Elisha, Josh, Rodney, and Charity. As she moved into Jr high and high school, she began making friendships to last a lifetime. Including Natalie Allen, Shannon Morris, Janine Todd, Jen Miller, Melissa Kennedy, Stephanie Edwardson, Tiffany Lewis, Christy Pospis, Whitney Schneckloth, Jennifer Thomas, Kelly Peak and Michelle Hendrick. Over the years these friends became family and several of these women came to be known as aunts to her children.  Once she had friendships to last a lifetime, she needed a love that would last a lifetime. Alice found not only love, but a life partner in Matthew Hesford, and they were fortunate enough to spend over 20 years of her all too short life together. They married in 2005 and raised four children together: Mackenzie, Madison, Alex, and Ezra. All of which, Alice and Matt couldn’t be more proud.  Her pride didn’t begin or end with her children; before she was a mom, she was an aunt. Alice had 30 nieces and nephews, along with so many others that weren’t related to her by blood. That never mattered to Alice. She was the kind of person whose door and arms never closed, and if you walked through that door, you never walked out hungry. Alice loved to cook and bake. Especially on game nights; whether it was board games or football games. There was rarely a quiet night in the Hesford house, but with such a big family around all the time, there was never a loveless night either.  The love that Alice had to give didn’t stop there; even better than she wore her auntie hat, she wore her grammie hat. She loved to spoil her grandbaby. Alice’s heart was never more full than when she was on babysitting duty. It was never a chore. She loved every minute of it, and was so excited to welcome another grandbaby to the family. Although she didn’t get to meet the beautiful baby on the way, Alice already loved her. 

It’s no secret that Alice wanted to make the world a better place. She worked very hard to achieve her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and her Master’s Degree in Human Services. Alice worked several jobs over the years that allowed her to serve her community and make life a little easier and a little brighter for the people around her. Most recently she worked with homeless and runaway youth. Alice felt like this was exactly where she needed to be; this was her dream job.  She spent many years working with adults and children with mental illnesses and physical disabilities as well as being an educator and advocate for families with young children to help them navigate life and parenthood in good times as well as hard ones.

Her desire and ability to help people carried out all through her life and even in death, as an organ donor. Now, even as her body and soul leave the life they knew; her lungs continue to breathe hope and with every breath, a promise of a tomorrow that was almost lost. Her legacy will live on not only in the recipients of her donations, but also with her mother and step father: Timothy and Shelby Riley, father and mother in law: Mike and Donna Ryner, her husband Matthew Hesford, their children Mackenzie Charlier, Madison Hesford, Alex Hesford, and Ezra Hesford, her 2 grandchildren, her siblings; John (Sabrina) Casteel and Becky (Mike) Brown, Shannon (Chad) Odash, Rebekka (Leann) McCormick, Timothy Riley Jr., and Brigette Riley and Edgar, 30 nieces and nephews, and countless aunts, uncles, and cousins.

She will be greeted in heaven by her father Johnny Casteel, and her grandmothers Madonna Kircher and Judine Brockert.

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