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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Obituary: Lewis, Alice Marie

Age 88

LEWIS, Alice Marie (Age 88) Died peacefully at home on September 23, 2013.

Alice moved to Spokane in 1990, from Sacramento, California.

Alice was a retired RN and Public Health Nurse.

Alice was married for over 59 years to Edmund L. Lewis who passed away in 2009.

She was also predeceased by her brother Frank E. Pfunder.

Alice was born on July 8, 1925, in Cincinnati, Ohio.

She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Edwin Pfunder.

She grew up in Gross Point, Michigan and attended the Henry Ford School of Nursing as a Nurse Cadet, and later Wayne State University where she received her BS Degree in Nursing in 1947.

Alice later moved to Arizona where she worked at Fort Whipple Veteran’s Hospital in Prescott.

It was there that she met her husband to be, and on Christmas Day of 1949, she announced her engagement to Edmund L. Lewis.

On July 8, 1950, they were married in Prescott, Arizona.

She is survived by her four children: Mark S. Lewis and his wife, Linda, from Modesto, CA; Anne I. Lewis from Sonoma, CA; Albert P. Lewis and his wife, Frances, from Chicago, IL; and Peter B. Lewis and his wife, Bridget, from Fairbanks Alaska; her six grandchildren: Alexander E. F. Lewis, Katherine M. I. Lewis, Maxwell C. Lewis, Chloe E, Lewis, Scott M. Lewis and Sara J. Lewis; and her two great-grandchildren, Joseph W. Lewis and Kaylee N. Sanders.

After being a stay at home mom for almost 15 years she went back to school in the 70’s and received her MA in Public Health Nursing from the University of Southern California via a satellite program.

Alice was known for her kindness, charitable contributions, and her incredible support for many individuals, who were facing personal as well as professional challenges.

She was noted for always commenting about others in a positive way, and she was gifted at seeing others’ strengths as well as their pain.

From helping post mastectomy cancer survivors through ENCORE, to teaching swimming for the Red Cross, to running a large weekly bridge group, Alice shared her unique personality with a smiling face and a heart filled with love and she did all this with a quiet powerful dignity.

She possessed a unique spirit of adventure and had traveled extensively.

She was always excited about life.

She loved gardening and golfing and whatever she did she gave it her 100%.

Alice had an incredible work ethic and she always put her husband and family and even the community before herself.

She lived each day fully and used her strong faith to ground her actions, lifestyle, and her outlook on life.

Her Catholic faith kept her going, growing, and giving.

She was always able to smile, laugh, and remind one that “this too shall pass…” A memorial Rosary will be said Friday, October 4th at 7PM at St. Thomas Moore Parish in Spokane.

The following day, Saturday, October 5th a special mass for Alice will be said at 10 AM, again at St. Thomas Moore Parish.

An informal memorial service and inurnment will be held at Fairmount Memorial Park Cemetery in Spokane at 11:30 AM Saturday, October 5th for those wishing to say goodbye or to extend their condolences.

Remembrances and donations may be given to organizations of your choice and/or any organization that supports any of the following: Arthritis, Heart Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Immune Deficiencies, Cancer, and CREST.