Alberta Iliff Shattuck

Alberta Iliff Shattuck, 101, passed away on Thursday, June 9, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. She was born in Denver on November 24, 1909 to William Seward Iliff and Alberta Bloom Iliff. Her paternal grandfather was Colorado's first Cattle King, John Wesley Iliff, and her maternal grandfather, Frank Bloom, was a prominent Trinidad, Colorado pioneer, banker and cattle baron. Alberta graduated from Kent School for Girls in 1927. She at- tended Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts from 1927 to 1929 and transferred to the University of Denver where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1931. She received a Master of Science degree in 1932 from the University of Denver and earned a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Colorado in 1942. Alberta worked for Child Research from 1932 until her retirement in 1959. At Denver University, she was a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority, Mu Beta Kappa (a pre medical group) and Iota Sigma Pi (a national chemistry organization). She was a member of Sigma Xi, a national scientific society, from 1936 to 1996. She was a member of the Denver Chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution, the Denver Fortnightly Club and the Jackson Camera Club. She served on the Board of Trustees for the Iliff School of Theology for many terms. She was an active volunteer with the St. Luke's Hospital Auxiliary for many years. Alberta received the Evans Award from the University of Denver Alumni Association in 1957 and was chosen National Grandparent of the Year in 2010. She was a life long Methodist attending University Park Methodist Church for many years. In her younger years, she enjoyed hiking, horseback riding and skiing. She and her husband Dr. Robert C. Shattuck, who preceded her in death, were avid world travelers who visited Europe, China, South America, Australia and New Zealand as well as most of the Continental United States, Hawaii and Alaska. Alberta was preceded in death by her brothers, John Wesley Iliff and his wife Marjorie, and William Seward Iliff, Jr., and his wife, Dorothy. She is survived by her sons Robert and his wife, Gail and Donald, and his wife, Margaret; grandchildren Leigh Ann Shattuck, Douglas (Kelly) Shattuck, Joan (Brian) Wherry, and Wesley (Kimberly) Shattuck; and nine great grandchildren. She is also survived by two nieces Suzanne Witzler of Denver and Jackie Parker of Cheshire, Connecticut. A memorial service will be held in the chapel at Iliff School of Theology, 2301 S University Blvd, Denver on June 30, 2011 at 10:00 am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts to The Iliff Family Scholarship Fund at the Iliff School of Theology or to the University Park United Methodist Church. Please share your memories of Alberta in our guestbook by connecting to the link below.