Alpha Ruth Andrews Ivester

Alpha was born August 20, 1932 in Habersham County, Georgia to the late William Carl Andrews and Laura Cash Andrews and was the oldest of five children. She grew up working in Georgia cotton fields and went on to work as a bookkeeper, nursing assistant and a correspondent for the Anderson Independent newspaper. Alpha eventually opened a hair salon and craft shop and began painting in 1983. Her paintings are referred to as memory paintings, a fascinating and fluid blend of memories, dreams, visions and psychic images of rural life, religion and Georgia geography. Many of her pieces are held in private collections and she has been in many exhibitions and publications and her paintings are in the permanent collection of the American Folk Art Museum, the Carter Presidential Library and the New York State Historical Association.

In addition to her parents and siblings, Alpha was preceded in death by her husband, Howard Ivester and son, Wayne Ivester.

Alpha is survived by her children, Janice Hembree and Michael Ivester, both of Athens; Kathy Crumley and her husband, Steve of Loganville and Barry Ivester of Augusta; six grandchildren, Zachary, Joshua, and Justin Hembree, and Tyler, Andrew and Hope Crumley; ten great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

A private graveside funeral and burial will be held in Evergreen Memorial Park, Athens, GA.

Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of funeral arrangements.