Alice Ann Harris was born September 22, 1937, in Bloomington, Illinois, the only child of Chester and Hazel Harris. She had fond memories of camping with her family at Funks Grove, living in the Mt. Olive United Methodist Church parsonage, and playing with lifelong friends Carol and Patty, "the three musketeers."
Alice's husband Gary Ditchen was the love of her life, and part of her died with him in 2006.
Alice and her "sister" Peggy met working at First National Bank and then at Country Companies until they both retired. Alice was very shy (Gary was the outgoing one) but loved her friends deeply. Friends like Peggy and Barb and so many others helped Alice go on after losing Gary. She treasured every single letter and card she received over the years, and reading them over and over brought her great joy.
Alice and Gary owned and operated O&W Root Beer in the 1970s with the help of their sons. They all traveled, camped, and fished together at Lake Shelbyville every chance they got.
Alice always had a beloved dog: Spotty was her first, and Cookie Sue was her last: her constant companions and comforts.
When Alice was unable to continue to live alone in her home of fifty years in Country Acres, she chose to spend the last decade and a half of her life being cared for by Rob and Katie, living with them and their seven children and many foster children in Georgia and then Virginia. Even through the fog of Alzheimers disease, Alice truly loved every child and tried to sneak them cookies before dinner.
Alice is survived by her friends, by her children Greg (Chris), Rob (Katie) and Brad; and her grandchildren Alyssa, Jessica (Ishmael), Harrison (Patterson), Christopher, Claire, Reilly, Carrington, Elise, Carter, Zachary, and Samuel; by many foster grandchildren whose names cannot be published here, and by her great-grandchildren: Alyssa's Cooper, Hunter, and Archer; and Harrison's Emerson, plus a new great-grandson due to be born on his great-grandmother's 87th birthday, exactly one week after her passing.
Honoring Alice's wishes, there will be no public ceremony or viewing. The family will celebrate Alice's life privately.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the charity of your choice serving children or animals, or to Wayne Hills Preschool Center, 937 Fir Street, Waynesboro, VA 22980,
or to the Ditchen family's foster ministry at (Zelle) [email protected], Ditchen Foster Family,104 Caldwell Lane, Fishersville VA 22939
Partager l'avis de décèsPARTAGER
v.1.11.6