Alice Jane McNichols

Around the age of four Alice moved with her family to Bell Gardens, California. When her parents divorced, her mother, Helen, relocated to Indiana while Alice, about age 12, stayed in California with her father and paternal grandparents Augusta and Adolf Machal. Alice attended Lutheran school until high school when she attended Bell Gardens High School. While in high school she met fellow student, Joseph McNichols, who she later married. Joe told his children that when he first saw Alice and approached her she brushed him off saying she didn’t talk to boys she hadn’t been properly introduced to. Joe then got one of his pals to approach Alice with him and make a “proper introduction,” which evidently worked! Alice and Joe were married in March of 1951.

Alice welcomed three children, the eldest a son Joseph James (Jim), who passed away in 2022, and two daughters, Shirley Ann and Cathy Lynne and settled the family in South El Monte, California. Alice was a devoted and loving mother and enjoyed supporting her children in their various activities including PTA board member, Little League, and group leader in Jim’s Cub Scout Troup and Cathy’s Woodcraft Ranger Tribe.

Alice was an avid reader and even took a turn at writing fiction. As her children grew Alice turned her attention to furthering her education and earned an Associate of Arts degree in Library Science. While reading was her passion, Alice was also very good with numbers and she spent several years working, first in a bank, then as a bookkeeper and also as a tax preparer.

Alice enjoyed traveling. She was fond of playing board games at home and occasionally nickel slot machines at the casino. Alice found it difficult to pass up a new purse! Alice was also an avid Survivor fan and usually picked her favorite contestants, kept track of the game’s twists and turns and enjoyed dinner and camaraderie, usually with Cathy, on Survivor night.

Alice was a devoted grandmother of 8, great grandmother of 12 (soon to be 13) and she even earned great-great grandmother status 4 times!

For the last 25 years, Alice lived mostly independently in her own home in Desert Hot Springs until October of 2022 when she moved to assisted living/memory care at Rancho Mirage Terrace in Rancho Mirage.

Alice peacefully left us on Thursday, October 19, after a short hospital stay. She is survived by her two daughters, Shirley and Cathy, Cathy’s partner, Alex Nigian, her grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren and many kind and wonderful friends who have spent time with her through the years.

A funeral service for Alice will be held Wednesday, November 1, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Miller Jones Mortuary and Crematory, 23618 Sunnymead Blvd., Moreno Valley, California. A reception will occur Wednesday, November 1, 2023 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, 23618 Sunnymead Blvd., Moreno Valley, California. A graveside service will occur Wednesday, November 1, 2023 from 1:45 PM to 2:15 PM at Riverside National Cemetery, 22495 Van Buren Blvd., Riverside, California.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.millerjones-moreno.com for the McNichols family.