Alice Bradford Johansson

Alice Bradford English Johansson passed away at home on Monday, November 9, 2015, surrounded by her beloved family. Born in Hartford on April 24, 1957, she was the eldest of four children of James F. English Jr. and Isabelle Cox English. She began her education at Beach Park elementary school and the Kingswood Oxford School, graduated from Connecticut College in 1979, and earned a masters degree in business from the University of Connecticut, where she graduated first in her class. She pursued a distinguished career in the Insurance industry, starting as a broker at Johnson & Higgins, and continuing as underwriter at One Beacon, where she oversaw all healthcare liability products, and at IronShore, where, until her retirement last spring, she was Senior Vice President and Chief Underwriting Officer of the IronHealth unit. Alice earned her graduate degree and built her professional career while raising a family of three children and maintaining a warm, vital household, first on Fernwood Road and latterly on Linnard Road. Both houses were known for their lovely gardens and abundant hospitality. They served as open-door gathering places for neighbors and as hubs of holiday celebration for a large extended family. As talented in the kitchen as in the garden, Alice was renowned for her homemade jams and for the 100 dozen intricately cut and decorated cookies she baked at Christmastime each year—of which approximately zero would be left over for New Years. Alice will be remembered by colleagues, neighbors, family, and friends for her enormous generosity of spirit and kindness toward others. She did not allow a day to go by without performing some unbidden act of benevolent service. As a lifelong resident and consummate citizen of West Hartford, she touched many in the community and will be widely missed. She is survived by her parents and siblings, and by the three children of whom she was so deeply proud: Persephone, Lars, and Emily. Persephone lives in Springfield, MA and is completing a Masters degree in art therapy. Lars and his wife Danielle live in New York with their 10-month old daughter Lucy, who brought particular joy to Alice over this past year. Emily and her fiancé, Gordon, live in Washington, DC, and are planning a wedding for the spring. A memorial service will be held this Saturday, November 14th, at 11:00 AM at First Church West Hartford 12 South Main Street. Philanthropy was an important part of Alice’s life and in lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Loaves and Fishes Ministries of Hartford or the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to benefit colon cancer research.