Alice M Harmeling

Alice Mercier Harmeling was born February 18, 1927 in New York City, NY to William F. de Leon and Helen Mahon de Leon. She spent her early childhood in Westchester County, surrounded by her doting parents and aunts on both sides of her family. She was very proud of her half Irish ancestry. As a young teenager, she lived in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA for 3 years, attending St. Mary’s Academy. At the time, her father, was the CFO for Spencer, White and Prentis which was building the Naval Ship Yards there. Alice had a beautiful voice and sang solos at St. Mary’s and played the piano. She had a vivacious personality and a great sense of humor. She was very beautiful and outgoing and had many friends. She and her parents, brother Garry and sister Connie moved to Garden City, Long Island, NY in 1943 when her father started his own company Sterling Foundations. Alice met her future husband, John T. Harmeling (Jack) while dating another cadet at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point. He was a graduating senior and she was a high school senior. After she graduated from high school and Jack graduated from West Point in June, 1945, they were married later that month in Garden City. They spent their honeymoon on a train to Camp Hood, TX. After 6 weeks at Camp Hood, Jack was assigned to Korea while Alice, who was then expecting their first child moved back to her parents’ home in Garden City to await permission to join him. She gave birth to a baby boy, John Trompen Harmeling, Jr. on April 24, 1946 at Mitchel Field Hospital in Garden City and later moved in with Jack’s parents Col. and Mrs. Henry Harmeling who were living in Army quarters at Mitchel Field. After a 6 months’ separation, Alice traveled across the country and the Pacific Ocean with a 10 month old baby to join Jack. Postwar Korea was very primitive and economically depressed at the time and Alice was shocked to see the deprivation the population was enduring. She was adventurous and embraced the new experience of living in another country and being an Army wife. Jack and Alice lived in Korea for 2 years and then moved to Ft. Knox, KY where their daughter Patricia Alice was born on January 3, 1949. They then moved to Blacksburg, VA where Jack was assigned as a Professor of Military Science at Virginia Tech. Kathryn Ann was born in Radford, VA on December 14, 1950. Subsequent moves took them to Ft. Knox again, then to Okinawa, Japan for three idyllic years of family beach time and beautiful weather in postwar Japan. The family welcomed their fourth child, Jan Marie in Okinawa on January 2, 1956. They moved to Ft. McNair in Washington, DC in 1957 while Jack served in the 3rd Infantry and then to Springfield, VA when he branch transferred from Infantry to Air Defense Artillery. Their fifth child, Stephen John was born in Washington, DC on March 16, 1958. Next stops were Ft. Leavenworth, KS for Command and Staff College and Tucson, AZ for graduate school. Follow-on assignments included Ft. Bliss TX, for three years, Korea again and back to Ft. Bliss. Alice took great care of her family during these deployments. She was caring, compassionate, loving and strong. Jack retired from the Army in 1968 as a Lt. Col. from Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD and they moved to Annandale, VA where they lived for many years always welcoming visits from their 5 children, cherished in-laws and grandchildren. Jack worked for TRW in McLean, VA until he suddenly died at age 58 of heart problems on October 27, 1981. They had been married for 36 years. Alice remained in their house for 20 years and then moved to Knollwood (Army Distaff Hall) in Washington, DC in 2004 where she made many friends. Sadly, her loving son Stephen John died on June 3, 2005 at age 47. Alice was very active in Holy Spirit Church in Annandale, VA and ironed the albs of the Missionhearst priests for many years. Her Catholic faith sustained and comforted her through the unexpected deaths of both husband and son. She lived at Knollwood for 19 years where she passed away peacefully on Dec. 30, 2023. The family is thankful for the wonderful care she received in her last five years of life in the Health Services Center there. She is survived by her son John Trompen Harmeling, Jr. (Brenda), her daughter Patty Lobdell (Harrison), her daughter Kay Iliffe (Ron), and her daughter Jan McDonald (Mark). Her eight grandchildren Amy Iliffe Bezdek, John T. Harmeling, III, (Jennifer) Kristin Lobdell Bartholomees, (Jay), Scott Little Harmeling, (Adriane) Susan Lobdell Nienhuis, (Chris) Alice McDonald McGuin, Harrison Lobdell, IV and Mark McDonald, Jr. and 16 great- grandchildren, her sister Connie Ottowitz (Peter), sister-in-law Jane Harmeling McPherson and many nieces and nephews. Her family will miss her dearly and hold her memory close in our hearts. “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.” Philippians 1:3 “Her children will rise up and call her blessed.” Funeral arrangements are being made by Demaine’s Funeral Home. Burial will be a private ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date to be determined.