Honoring the Memory
of Those
We Love

Condolences

• December 11, 2019

  Alice Tomarelli was truly the perfect "Grammy." She let us grandkids do and have whatever we wanted. For example, we have fond memories of playing baseball in her living room. She waited in line for hours to buy me my first Cabbage Patch Doll. Once when I told her that the other girls at school were teasing me, she stayed up with me helping me think of comebacks to say to them. (I never used any of the comebacks but somehow just coming up with them made me feel better.) She always, always made a big deal when we would come to visit and made us feel like celebrities when we came through the back door. She celebrated every accomplishment of ours no matter how big or small. We will miss her so much but I'm so glad that she left behind the model of everything that a Grandmother should be.

• December 11, 2019

  Our Aunt Alice was a genuinely good person. She was an intelligent, kind, patient woman who welcomed people into her home with a big hug, warm chat and an open kitchen. My earliest memories of Aunt Alice were coming in and greeting me with, â??Do you want something to eat , honey?â?? She was a traditional sort of person, who gave up nursing for a big family, striving mightily to please our Uncle Ray and to rear her children to be educated, independent adults, of whom she was very very proud. There was order in the world: God, Husband, Children and still room for Everybody Else. She had a big extended family and many friends and we loved her. Alice was a peace maker. She worked hard at it and sometimes she put up with bad behavior (by adults, no less!) longer than she should have have because she put everyone first but herself. When she finally did put her foot down, most of us cheered because we were backing her and the foot-putting-down was over due. I told her that once and she seemed pleased, saying, â??Sometimes you just have to.â?? Duty was important to Aunt Alice, but she had a great sense of humor to back it up. Once she pretended to be scandalized by the naughty behavior of the rabbits in her back yard. Another time Alice introduced me to Bailey's Irish Cream.; we got tipsy and laughed our butts off. When Uncle Ray had a stroke, and the great order of things was shaken up, she took it all in hand. It must have been a challenge, but remember, she was used to running a big household and had years of nursing behind her. In any case, I think she enjoyed being in charge. When I asked how she was managing, she grinned and said â??I bet your Uncle Ray would like to complain, but he can't.â?? Heaven is a richer place for her warm presence there.