January 3, 1922 – May 5, 2011
With love and sadness we honour
the life and passing of our dear
mother. Alice was ever-welcoming,
kind, witty and a staunch friend. She
was steadfast, open-minded, openhanded,
dependable, wise and strong. She spoke through
her actions and encouraged everyone she met. Alice was
born in Vancouver and loved it her whole life long. As a
young woman she taught in a one-room schoolhouse in
the Cariboo and later worked for the Bank of Montreal
where she met Marsh. They were married over 59 years
and raised three daughters in Kitsilano with magical
summers at ‘The Lookout’ on Galiano. Alice gave freely to
others working with the Kinettes, Save the Children and
other charities. She had a lifelong involvement with Girl
Guides Canada as a leader, running camps at ‘Olave,’
as a District and then Divisional Commissioner, and as
a Trefoil Guild member. Alice lived the Guide motto, ‘Be
Prepared.’ At 65, she re-entered the workforce to co-run
the Vancouver Guide Offi ce. Her later years were spent
caring for Marsh (Died 2006).
Alice leaves us with lovely memories: Sunday Yorkshire
pudding and apple pie, off to the Chinatown lion dances,
wandering walks to delight in the fi rst snowdrop, tending
the big fi re, and good cups of tea. We marvel daily at our
extreme good fortune in having been born into her loving
arms. We’ll keep on loving and singing and watching the
parade without you mom. But it won’t be the same.
Alice is survived by daughters Thea Stavroff (Michael
McGuire), Cathie (Gabe Somfay) and Susan (Mike
Sites) Bluck, granddaughters Layla, Belle, Ezmy and
Jennah, sister-in-law Betty, nieces Barbara and Debbie
and nephews Doug, Mike and Neville Sankey.
Sincerest thanks to Coastview Staff (Stanford Place), to Penny
Wade and Sherry Samis for grace and caring, and to ‘old
friends’ from The Gardens & Arranglen.
Condolences to the family at: 2600 Grafton Ave.,
Qualicum Beach, BC, V9K 1Y1