Alice Sandra Holland McCollum

Alice Sandra Holland McCollum slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God on Sunday, September 15, 2013, in Midland, Texas.

Alice was born November 2, 1926 in Dierks, Arkansas. As a young child, Alice moved with her family to Pueblo, Colorado, where her father worked as an engineer for Missouri Pacific Railroad. Upon graduating from high school at age 17, she set off into the world to make her mark, attending nursing school in Houston and San Angelo where she obtained her R.N. degree. After graduation, Alice worked as labor and delivery nurse at Hermann Hospital in Houston, moving to Odessa during the polio epidemic in 1949. Alice helped establish and was the charge nurse for the polio ward at Medical Center Hospital in the early 1950s. While in Odessa, she met the love of her life, Paul, who happened to be campaigning for county judge in the basement of the hospital where the polio ward was located. She said she kept wondering why he kept coming down there to campaign when it was so hard to find people who were not afraid to work in the ward. Paul captured her heart and they were married on February 22, 1952, until Paul’s death on March 30, 2004.

Alice was a beautiful person with a wonderful sense of humor and quick wit. She could always make us laugh even in the worst situations. She was devoted to her family, and she and Paul had a lot of good times. They enjoyed their condo in Ruidoso and going to the races, entertaining their dear friends, and traveling. She was also a very talented artist. Alice won first place at the Colorado State Fair for a palette knife painting and was invited to paint with several notable artists including the late George Post and Naomi Brotherton. She was also a sustaining member of the Odessa Junior Service League and designed many of the sets for the school plays the service league used to perform, as well as the Odessa Art Association.

Alice was predeceased by her beloved husband, Paul, and her parents, Roy and Ella Chandler Holland. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Kathleen and Michael J. McCulloch of Odessa; her son and daughter-in-law, Rector Choc and Jill McCollum of Plano, and two grandchildren who were the apple of her eye, Travis Paul McCollum, a student at Texas Tech University, and Kathleen Hannah McCollum, a student at Texas A&M University; her sister, Linda Lou Randolph of Pueblo, Colorado; niece, Kristina Cambridge Upsons and husband, Sven, of Evergreen, Colorado; and cousin, Maggie Chandler.

Alice and her family pay special tribute to her very dear friend, Betty White, who was with us all the way; her wonderful friends she leaves behind; and all of the care and love given to her by her doctors, the staff and nurses at Manor Park and Home Hospice of Midland.

To celebrate her life a graveside service will be held 11:00 a.m. Thursday, September 19, 2013 at Sunset Memorial Gardens with Chaplain Wade Cobb officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Home Hospice or the charity of your choice.

Services entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home.