From TribStar.com (Terre Haute, IN), Oct2014

By Amy Hillenburg | ahillenb@md-times.com | 0 comments

The community of Mooresville has lost a special resident and friend to all - 
Alice Hornaday. She died last Thursday from cancer, which she had been 
bravely battling for several months. She did show up for the Old Settlers 
Parade and Fair, with the help of her daughter Kristina Hornaday-Alberts and 
a walking cane. It was the last time I would see her and the 100-watt smile 
she wore most of the time. She was weak then, but somehow I figured she 
would get through it all.

Since I didn't grow up in Mooresville, I only came to know Alice when I went 
to work for the Mooresville-Decatur Times. She was always kind to everyone 
and loved children. Whenever she could, Alice would have some activity at 
Biff's Pioneer House for children - especially during events like Victorian 
Christmas, Old Settlers and other festivals in town.

There were few people Alice didn't know,  and so many of her performers and 
guests were friends. One was a magician, whose talents went way beyond the 
normal tricks. Children would ask him how he did things, and Alice would be 
offering everyone a coffee, donuts or a Bismark, the restaurant's signature 
pastry.

Alice was always eager to tell stories about her friends and when she 
thought there would be a newsworthy person or happening in town, she would 
ask me to come over to Biff's to give me the scoop. Most of the time, those 
people and events made the paper. She and her late husband Larry were always 
advocates of Mooresville. Biff's has given to charities, supported school 
sports, organizations, Old Settlers and more.

Alice loved to talk about the town she and Larry first did business in. She 
would show you where certain shops had been, and she talked about when the 
Mooresville-Decatur Times office had been a movie theater. She knew who the 
owners were, and told me the history of the Times office, which had been on 
the other side of East Main Street, and when it moved to the theater 
location.

Alice enjoyed conversations with her customers and residents as she filled 
their orders, poured their coffee or sold them a box of Bismarks. I will 
miss her and the occasional calls to the office for a news tip. I wish her 
family well, and hope they will think of this nice lady the way she was - 
and that those thoughts will crowd out the stress of her last days.