Alice Arthur Portera, of Madison, AL, former 55 year resident of Jackson, MS, left this earthly life to be in the loving arms of her Heavenly Father on December 13, 2018, one week shy of her 93rd birthday.
Alice was born in New York City, NY on December 20, 1925 to Alice (Elias) and Patrick Joseph Carroll. She was a loving and kind Proverbs 31 woman, loved and respected by all who had the privilege of knowing her.
While vacationing with a friend in Miami, FL, Alice met George Matthew Arthur, also vacationing from New York City. They were married three months later (some said it would never last), and moved to Jackson, MS in 1955, where they raised three children.
After more than 48 years of a loving marriage, our Lord called George home. Several years later, Alice married John Portera. They were married for more than seven years, before John’s passing.
Alice is survived by a daughter Mary Elizabeth “Mary Beth” Watson (Jeff) of Harvest, AL; and a son, Patrick Matthew Arthur (JudyB) of Hernando, MS; a daughter-in-law Debbie Arthur Pierce of Ft. Meyers, FL; a sister Elaine Lawson (Teddy) of Naples, FL; a brother-in-law Tom Canning of Orlando, FL; ten grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husbands; a son, George James “Jimmy” Arthur; her parents, Patrick and Alice Carroll; a brother Patrick Carroll; and a sister Doris Canning.
Alice was a devout Catholic, serving as a Lay Eucharistic Minister and singing in the Resurrection Choir for several years at Saint Richard Catholic Church, before moving to Alabama. She retired as an Administrative Assistant with General Electric’s Engineering Services Group, Jackson office. Alice was a game enthusiast, including board games and card games; and in later years, her IPAD was her foe for many games online.
The Pall Bearers for Alice will be five of her grandsons, Todd Darrell Slawson, Matthew Barksdale Arthur, James Joseph Arthur, Philip Andrew Arthur, Benjamin Patrick Arthur; and family friend, Tony Slawson.
Parkway Funeral Home in Ridgeland will be in charge of the funeral services. A Roman Catholic Requiem Mass will be held at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, December 18, 2018, at Saint Richard Catholic Church on Lynwood Drive, in Jackson. Visitation for Alice Arthur Portera will be held at Parkway Funeral Home on Monday, December 17, 2018, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, and at Saint Richard Catholic Church one hour prior to the Funeral Mass.
The family requests memorial donations to be made in Alice’s name to an organization near and dear to Alice’s heart, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN.
