Alieff, Warren Bridgham, 83, Paris, IL; in Paris, IL, June 7, 2009. Arrangements in the care of Templeton Funeral Home, Paris, IL.
PARIS, IL – Warren Bridgham Alieff, 83, passed away at 5:35 p.m. Sunday, June 7, 2009, at his residence. He was retired after thirty-five years as a civil bridge engineer with Illinois Department of Transportation, and was a livestock and forage crop farmer.
He was born January 1, 1926, in Presque Isle, Maine, the son of the late Harvey Leonard and Florence Margaret (Bridgham) Alieff, and was raised on a potato farm and lumber operation. He married Cecil Marie Lewis on August 20, 1950 in Oldtown, Maine.
He is survived by his wife, Cecil Marie; two sons, Eric Jon Alieff of Marshall, Illinois and Christian Lial Alieff of Shirley, Illinois; a daughter, Eileen Marie (Christopher) Preston of Charleston, Illinois; and three grandchildren, Scott, Timothy, and Heidi Preston all of Charleston, Illinois. He was preceded in death by a son, Brian Alieff, and two sisters, Mildred Swett and Phyllis Hackett.
Mr. Alieff earned the rank of Life Scout before graduating from Ashland High School in Ashland, Maine in 1944. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy immediately after graduation and served at a Naval Air Station and overseas on a destroyer escort during WWII. He received a Bachelors Degree in Engineering from the University of Maine in 1951, where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and earned a letter in cross country track.
He began his employment with the State of Illinois Department of Public Works and Buildings, Division of Highways District 5 in June 1951 and was one of the first to complete the three-year Junior Engineer in Training Program, which rotated the newly-hired engineers through a scheduled tour of the various duties in most of the Bureaus. He was Resident Engineer at the beginning of the Interstate construction and built three sections of I-74. In 1964, he was appointed as District Bridge Maintenance Engineer, where he served for twenty innovative years, until his retirement in 1985 as a Civil Engineer V.
Mr. Alieff was actively involved in serving his community. He was a member of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church where he served as Vestryman and Treasurer; a member and Past Commander of American Legion Post #211; a member, former Nurse Training Scholarship Committee Chairman, Child Welfare Officer, and former Chef de Gare of the Edgar-Clark Voiture of the 40 & 8; former Chairman of the Paris Hi-way Credit Union Board of Directors; past President of the Paris Chapter of the Illinois Assoc. of Highway Engineers; IAHE State Board of Directors; a former Edgar County Tax Counselor for AARP; a former FHA specification writer and estimator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture; a member and past officer of Asher Community Club; past President of District 5 Highway Trailblazers Club; National Past Chef de Gare Club; National Box Car Association; and University of Maine Lettermans Club.
He was a champion of adult literacy, serving as Area Literacy Representative for Project PAL, and volunteering as a tutor for Partners in Adult Literacy. He also volunteered his time distributing poppies for the American Legion Auxiliary; serving as an Election Judge; delivering Peace Meals; ringing bells for the Salvation Army; working as a Docent for the Edgar County Historical Society; and assisting the Edgar County Blood Bank. He was instrumental in the development of the Grandview Veterans Memorial and also took an active interest in Republican Party politics.
In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials to Lake Land College Project PAL or the 40 & 8 Nursing Scholarship. A 40 & 8 Memorial Service was conducted at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 11, 2009 at Templeton Funeral Home in Paris, with funeral services immediately following. Eric Alieff officiated and eulogies were shared by several family and friends. Visitation was from 4 p.m. until service time Thursday at the funeral home. Following cremation, graveside services were conducted at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, June 13, 2009, in Edgar Cemetery, with military graveside rites conducted by American Legion Post #211 & Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #3601.
