Alice Lee Dial

Alice was born on November 18, 1940 in Jonesville, Virginia in an area called “One Horse Hollow” named for the place where horses were hidden during the Civil War. Alice went to be with the Lord on March 8, 2015 in Hanford, California.

Her parents were Peter Livesay and Viola Bernice Martin Livesay. They lived in a very small two-room house. One room was the living room with tables and chairs; the other was the dirt-floor kitchen. Alice had ten siblings. She used to say there was a set of girls (Mary, Effie, Maude and Bealuh), then a set of boys (Tom, Elmer and John), then another set of girls (Ruby, Peggy, Alice and Georgia). Although Alice was considered Caucasian, she would always speak of her Livesay grandmother who was ½ Cherokee and ½ Crow Indian. She was a ‘medicine woman’ who treated people with herbs which is probably where Alice picked up her healing touch qualities.

Alice was married in 1956 at the age of 16 to John William Fortney who was in the Navy. Therefore, they moved and lived in several places throughout the United States. In 1959 and in 1960, her two children Roger Eugene and Rosella Bernice were born.

After divorcing, Alice married Virgil Dial and began their life in Santa Maria, California but their jobs took them to many places over the years such as Hanford, Lemoore, Slidell, Louisiana, Fort Collins, Colorado, Needles, California, King City, California and finally to Corcoran.

Alice worked as a custodian and yard duty aide at Kings River Hardwick School and loved the times that she was around children. She then worked as a caregiver at Valley Christian Home and enjoyed the elderly as much as she did the young ones.

While in Slidell, Alice began her own daycare business and all those children became her grandchildren for life. She loved all those babies and toddlers.

Virgil and Alice then became hotel and apartment managers for approximately 20 years.

Alice was a lover of animals. Pets of course included dogs and cats but the love of her life was ‘Happy’ her horse. She was so excited to have her own horse right in her own backyard. She rode Happy all around the south Hanford area.

Alice enjoyed the outdoors which included fishing. There was a rule though that whoever caught the largest or most fish had to clean them. Alice always made sure she it wasn’t her even if it meant throwing a fish back in.

Alice was an excellent cook. Her fried chicken and biscuits and gravy were the best. Everyone loved to be invited over for breakfast or dinner for Alice’s home cooked southern meals.

Alice was an expert seamstress who could also knit and crochet. She made her own clothes and all her household items such as curtains, tablecloths and bedspreads and even doll clothes and quilts.

Alice also loved to dance. When she and Virgil did the ‘swing’, everyone thought they were professionals from the Arthur Murray School of Dance!

Alice also had a lovely singing voice. She sang tenor was an excellent harmonizer. Although they usually sang in church, she and her sister Ruby entered a talent show contest. The supposedly first place opera winners were out beaten by the southern duo singing “Gathering Flowers for the Master’s Bouquet”. The girls won $30! Then again, they won 2nd place in another contest and won $15 by singing ‘How Much Is That Doggie In The Window.”

Alice was preceded in death by her parents Peter and Viola Livesay, her ex-husband John Fortney, her husband Virgil Dial, her daughter Rosella Rhoades and eight of her siblings Mary, Effie, Maude, Bealuh, Tom, Elmer, John and Peggy.

She is survived by her Friend Raymond Bojorquez of Corcoran, her son Roger Dial of Corcoran, her stepson David Dial and wife Ann of Roseburg, Oregon, her stepson Terry Dial and wife Darlene of Santa Maria, California, her stepdaughter Antoinette Gambatese and her husband Pasquale of Woodbridge, VA, her sister Ruby Livesay of Jonesville, Virginia and her sister Georgia Thrasher and her husband Pat of Maricopa, AZ. Alice has 9 Grandchildren, Leandria Powell, David Dial Jr., Danielle Dial, Savannah Dial, Rana Utsler, Sommer Gambatese, Nick Gambatese, Jeremy Rhoades, Amber Smith and her 13 Great-grandchildren, Sage Powell, Violet Powell, Aiden Powell, Abby Powell, Rylann Dial, Wednesday Dial, Elliana Dial, Harmony Melville, Devin Earl, Lyric Gorton, Brentlee Borton, Gemma Rhoades, Fallyn Rhoades. She is also survived by ‘special daughter’ Brenda McNary and her husband Randy McNary of Hanford, ‘special grandchildren’ Jeff McNary and wife Adriana McNary, Jason McNary and wife April McNary, Brittany Nordstrom and husband Landon Nordstrom and ‘special great-grandchildren’ Kelsey McNary, Derek McNary, and Audrey McNary and her brother-in-law, Lee Dial and wife Letitia, sister-in-law Wanda Wooten, sister-in-law DeIda Rice and husband Norman and several nieces and nephews.

Family and Friends are invited to view Alice’s legacy at www.peoplesfuneralchapel.com and send condolences to the family.

A Visitation will be held from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. followed by a Funeral Service at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at People’s Funeral Chapel; 501 N. Douty Street, Hanford, CA 93230 with Burial immediately following at Hanford Cemetery; 10500 S. 10th Avenue, Hanford, CA 93230.

PEOPLE’S FUNERAL CHAPEL

501 N. Douty Street * Hanford, CA 93230

559-584-5591 * www.peoplesfuneralchapel.com