Alice Louise Sollenberger

Alice Louise Sollenberger of Longmont, Colorado, died September 20, 2014 surrounded by family. Alice was born April 7, 1919 at Longmont Hospital, in Longmont, Colorado, to William Homer and Frances Irene Wright. She was a descendant of the Colorado pioneer family of Edward Steele, homesteading since 1859.She and her family continued to live in the St Vrain Valley and the mountains west of Longmont before settling in Longmont where Alice went to school and graduated from Longmont High School. To complete her education Alice went to Denver and entered Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing. In 1940 she became a professional Registered Nurse. Shortly before graduating she met Forest Sollenberger, the love of her life. They were married May 17, 1941 in the Methodist Church in Golden Colorado and were blessed by a devoted relationship that endured for more than 61 years.After the birth of their two daughters, Sharon Edwards and Janet Puglisi, they moved from Denver to Longmont where the arrival of two more daughters, Kathryn Skaff and Marget [Peggy] Chaney, completed their family. As parents they fulfilled their commitment to their daughters giving them a stable, loving family and a college degree.Alice had forty years of a rewarding career as a dedicated professional nurse. She enjoyed the challenge of working in many different positions and departments. She was the last Director of Nurses at the Longmont Hospital located at Fifth Ave. and Coffman St. When the two hospitals in Longmont merged to become the new Longmont Community Hospital she became their first Director of Nursing. She held the position for seven years. Wanting a new challenge, she accepted a position as an industrial nurse where she discovered she much preferred the hospital environment.She enrolled in a course offered by the University of Colorado to become a nurse practitioner. After completion of the course she accepted a positon at Loveland's Memorial Hospital in the ER and ICU departments. Later she transferred to McKee Hospital into the same departments. She enjoyed this nursing position for fifteen years before retiring in 1984.Most of her activities in later years were centered on family, friends, spectator sports and oil painting. Alice was a lifelong learner who lived her life with responsibility, humor and a great sense of joy. Alice was preceded in death by her husband, Forest Sollenberger and a grandson, Wayne Chaney. She is survived by her two brothers Earl Bolton and Darrel Wright, her daughters, their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. There will be no memorial; the family has celebrated Alice's life together, as she wished. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the LUH Foundation, 1380 Tulip Street Ste A, Longmont Colorado 80501.