Alice Stierli Smits passed away quietly on May 12, 2018. She was born July 13, 1923 in Newton, New Jersey to the late John and Ernestine Stierli. She was a graduate of NYU School of Nursing, interning at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, NJ. After living in New York, she moved to Aruba in 1951 where she met and married the late Antonius J M Smits. Living together in Aruba for 19 years, they happily raised their 4 children, Jacqueline, Robert, Alison and Jeanne. Upon Tony’s retirement from Esso (now Exxon) in 1969 they moved to Sparta, NJ where she resided until 2013. When she finally admitted the house was too big to keep up on her own, Alice moved to an apartment at Bristol Glen in Newton NJ.
Alice had given up her career in nursing while she was raising her family but returned to it after her relocation to Sparta. When everyone was settled in school routines, Alice restarted her nursing career on the night shift at Andover Nursing Home. She was promoted several times, eventually becoming the Administrator of the Facility for 8 years until her retirement in 1987. Never one to sit still, she was an active member of Soroptimist International serving also as a counselor on the Help Line.
She was devoted to her family and friends and enriched everyone’s life with whom she came into contact. She served as Girl Scout Leader for many years while her children were growing up and even after her daughters no longer we involved. Her Scouts were her second family. She was a competitive bridge player into her 90s. Having played in many tournaments throughout her life, she was always in demand among younger players.
Family was her highest priority; annual summer reunions at Woodloch Pines and the family Thanksgiving at her house were the highlights of her later years. She was deeply loved and will be sorely missed by her family. She is survived by her four children, Jacqueline and her husband Mark Matthews of Chapel Hill, NC, Robert Smits of Weston CT, Alison and her husband Mark Siebold of Mountain Lakes, NJ, Jeanne and her husband Dan Doherty of Chatham, NJ, 12 grandchildren and her 2 sisters; Claire Armstrong of Leonia, NJ and Irene Faubion of Williamsburg, VA.
A Funeral Service will be held at 10:30am Wednesday, May 16, 2018, at the Goble Funeral Home, 22 Main St, Sparta, NJ 07871. Interment will follow at St. Joseph's Cemetery, Newton, NJ.
