Alicia Adair Mace

Alicia was born in Lone Oak, Texas on June 4, 1942 to John Lockett Adair and Mary Alice Shroyer Adair. She was the middle child, born in between two brothers, Henry David Adair and Richard Lawrence Adair, whom she adored. She spent some of her childhood on a cotton farm, becoming a hard worker at an early age. The Adairs then moved to Baytown, Texas where Alicia would graduate from Robert E. Lee High School in 1960 and was an accomplished majorette. She loved her high school friends and spoke fondly of her time growing up in Baytown. Alicia attended Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, where she earned her degree in Education. She later went on to earn a Master of Education degree. She taught elementary school for 25 years in Charlotte, North Carolina and in Texas before retiring.

Alicia first met K. Allan Mace in 1953 at Lakeview, a Methodist church camp in Palestine, Texas. Allan lived in Texas City, but the distance never mattered. In July of 1965, Alicia married the love of her life, Allan, at Saint Paul’s Methodist Church in Baytown, Texas. Allan’s career with Alcoa took them to Western North Carolina, and then to Lancaster County where her son, Brett was born in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. Her daughter Ashley was born several years later when a transfer took them to Newburgh, Indiana. These were without a doubt some of the happiest times in Alicia’s life. A change in career and their Texas roots and family would lead them back to Houston, Texas. Allan would tragically pass away in 2000.

She met Clyde Arthur Wilson, Jr. while residing at the Villages of Tanglewood. Both widowed, they enjoyed each other’s companionship and shared a love of reading and visiting bookstores. They were married in 2012 and shared many happy times. Sadly, she lost Clyde in February of 2020.

She was tough as nails and a survivor of many hardships and health issues. She suffered a major stroke in 2011 and then had a fall with an x-ray revealing a tumor in 2019. Alicia had a heart attack resulting in a triple bypass in 2020 that was the first of many heart issues.

Alicia was a devoted collector of early American antiques. Back in her healthier days, she loved to walk the fields in Warrenton and Round Top, Texas. She loved treasure hunting. Alicia was an avid reader and lifelong learner, always curious to know more about history or someone’s story. Her favorite genre was True Crime, and even more so if it was based in Texas. She was always a Shroyer at heart and loved her family history in Crockett, Texas.

Alicia was by far the most generous and thoughtful gift giver one could ever know. She was also the MVP of shopping on the QVC. She began planning months ahead of Christmas to find the perfect gift for each of her children and grandchildren. Her love language was presenting you with a surprise from James Avery, 10 new Le Creuset Dutch ovens or a new holiday decoration.

She was affectionately known as, “Gee” when her granddaughter, Hannah, couldn’t pronounce her chosen grandmother name, “Grammy”.

Back in the day, she loved a road trip to a USTA juniors Major Zone tennis tournament. Thousands of miles were put on the family wood-paneled station wagon. No one could navigate with a Key Map better than Alicia. It was her orange driving Bible. She was an avid tennis fan and instilled a love of tennis in both of her children. She was so proud that both of her granddaughters had become accomplished tennis players. She kept up with all four of the tennis “Majors” and loved watching Indian Wells and the Miami Open.

She was selfless, always sacrificing herself. She was eccentric and full of life. Alicia was one of a kind. She was a fiercely independent woman, that lived life on her own terms. Any time her children would suggest moving closer to them and selling her house to be more practical for someone her age, she would put them on “ignore” for a few days.

Alicia is survived by her children; son, Brett Allan Mace and wife Jennifer Kellough Mace; daughter, Ashley Anne Mace Holmsten and husband Walter Russell Holmsten II; grandchildren, Hannah Ryann Holmsten, Charles Allan Holmsten and Lorene Belle Holmsten. She is also survived by her beloved Boston Terrier, Clancy, who was always right by her side. Additionally, Alicia is survived by three nieces, Alison Adair, Jill Adair Briley and Stacy Adair. Alicia was preceded in death by K. Allan Mace, her husband of nearly 35 years, Clyde Arthur Wilson, Jr., her parents and brothers.

We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to her kind neighbors, Rena Hardaway, Gail Drago, Madelyn Kennedy, Betty Allen and Elaine Neil for always looking out for our mom.

In October 1973, she and Allan purchased a property in Beech Mountain, North Carolina, with aspirations of residing there during their retirement years. This will be their final resting place together. Allan often referred to Alicia as “Kid”. We’d like to think after nearly 25 years apart, with that twinkle in his eyes, his first words to her in Heaven were, “What took you so long, Kid?”.

Family and friends are cordially invited to a celebration of Alicia Adair Mace’s life on Saturday, May 17, 2025 at 2:00pm in the Hunters Creek Chapel at Earthman Funeral Directors, 8303 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas 77024. Please join us for a reception immediately following.