Alice was born December 24, 1925 in Bedford, England. Her parent were George and Mary Catherine Oliver. She had three brothers, George, Bill, and Fred, and two sisters, Viney and Kit. All are deceased. She is survived by numerous nieces and nephews from England.
In World War II, Alice was in the Land Army working in fields, planting and harvesting food for the troops. It was very hard, dirty and dusty work.
She became a war bride, and arrived in Kansas in 1945. She had respiratory problems that were thought to be tuberculosis, and was sent to a sanitarium for almost a year. Then it was decided she didn’t have T.B after all. However, she had trouble with her lungs for the rest of her life.
She worked at several jobs, her favorited was probably in a jewelry store where she acquired a love of jewelry that lasted all her life.
Her dear son Christopher Robin Webber was born in 1964. Being his mother was the greatest joy of her life.
Alice started working for Hammil Scale and began a lifelong friendship with John Hammil. She brought her friend Delores Petree along, and the three of them remain fast friends to this day. This friendship saw Alice through the greatest tragedy of her life.
In the summer of 1973, Christopher Robin was killed in a traffic accident. She was devastated, but with the love of family and friends, she managed to go on. Her husband could not, and they divorced. Christopher Robin Webber was nine years old.
Life goes on and Alice met Harley Elam. They married in 1974, and she acquired two step-children, Randy and Susan, and their families.
Alice and Harley built their house in Rainbow Lakes together, doing most of the work themselves.
They enjoyed traveling, and visited many states, including Alaska. They visited Alice’s family in England and New Zealand.
She was active at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, serving on several committees. She had many close friends in the church.
Harley Elam died in 2005.
Since then, she has been as active as her health would allow.
Alice died March 18, 2018 in the home she loved.
A memorial will take place Wednesday, March 28, 2018, 11 a.m. at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 1101 N. River Blvd., Wichita, KS 67203. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church.
