ALICE CRATSLEY FARMERIE

Alice Cratsley Farmerie, 80, died Aug. 24, 2004 at her home in Big Lake, of Alzheimer's disease.

A memorial gathering will be held at a later date in Wisconsin, where her cremains will be placed with those of her late husband, Jack.

Mrs. Farmerie was born Nov. 1, 1923 in Pittsburgh, Pa., to Charles and Carolyn Cratsley.

After graduating from Avonworth High School, she attended secretarial school and began work at Union National Bank in Pittsburgh.

In 1952, she left the bank to marry John "Jack" Farmerie. Mrs. Farmerie worked from home as the secretary of the Borough of Emsworth as she raised their five children. In 1975, the family moved to Wisconsin. She lived there until 2002, when she moved to Big Lake to live with her daughter and family.

Her family said, "Alice was a lifelong athlete. She was captain of the girls' basketball team in high school, and belonged to bowling and golf leagues throughout her life. In her 70s, she won numerous medals in biking and bowling in the Senior Olympics. Her sense of adventure led her to become the first woman to solo an airplane from the Beaver County Airport in the 1940s. She loved the outdoors, and was happiest when camping and hiking with her family and friends. Her hobbies also included playing the ukulele, guitar, organ and organizing informal get-togethers with friends.

"Her outgoing nature, sense of humor, and enthusiasm for life earned her the love and respect of all. She will be dearly missed."

She is survived by her children, their spouses and her grandchildren: Carolyn, Dale and David Haggard of Big Lake; Jack, Carole, John and Will Farmerie of Colorado; Chuck, Mary Beth, Matt, and Kevin Farmerie of Minnesota; Joe, Barb, Nicole and Mindy Farmerie of Wisconsin; Henry, Shelly, Katy and Jeni Farmerie of Minnesota. She is also survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Charlie and Shirley Cratsley of Pennsylvania and by her nephews and niece and their spouses, Chuck and Lori Cratsley, Mary and Mark Yester and John and Sarah Cratsley.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Resource Agency, P.O. Box 4406, Palmer, AK 99645.

Arrangements were made by Kehl's Palmer Mortuary.