Alice A. Walker – After living a full and adventurous life of ninety-six years, Alice Walker of rural Blue Mound passed away on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
Alice Amy Frazier was born in Kingston, NY, on September 3, 1928, to Olen and Eleanor (Griffes) Frazier. She first began her lifelong learning in New York City, where her leadership and feisty nature showed early. Home for Alice, though, was growing up in New Paltz, NY, where her father was a university professor and the mountains were at her backdoor. There, she became an accomplished pianist and flutist, earned the highest award possible in Girl Scouts, and was an active member of the Dutch Reformed Church. Her love of travel developed from family vacations throughout the East and summers spent in Kansas with her grandparents.
Alice began college at Texas Women’s University before graduating from Emporia State University with a Library Science degree as well as a double major in English and Social Science in Secondary Education. She later acquired an elementary degree as well, so she could teach PK-12. She was an honor student, played in the orchestra, marched with the band, and worked at the university library. Alice began her career as a librarian in Missouri. Her love of reading and books led to her being a Governor’s Appointee to the Southeast Kansas Regional Library Board and serving on the William Allen White Book Selection Committee, on the Kansas State Reading Circle Selection Committee, and as the DAR State Librarian. Although she never intended to teach, she actually taught a total of thirty-two years at Centerville, Kincaid High School, and Crest Unified School District.
A life of surprises awaited her when the city girl from New York met her future husband, Howard, a Kansas farmer, on the steps of a church one summer. They were married on February 5, 1950, and celebrated fifty-six years of happiness. They truly approached life as a team. Together they raised their two children through college, bought three farms, designed and built a house themselves, operated an income tax business for forty-five years, were 4-H Club and project leaders, hosted foreign-exchange students, and were active members of the Blue Mound Federated Church and then, later, Ordained Elders of the Presbyterian Church in Garnett until it closed. One of the greatest gifts that they gave John and Alicia, their children, was traveling to all the forty-eight continental states as well as Canada and Mexico during the summers.
Alice became a superb seamstress, a grand champion recipe winner in national contests, a test cook for Betty Crocker for thirteen years and Farm Journal for six years, 4-H County Day judge, church pianist and organist, author of three genealogical books on family history, contributing writer for Heritage Quest, and a dedicated regent of the Four Winds DAR Chapter in Garnett. With DAR, Alice also served as President of the Kansas State Officers Club and President of the National State Vice Regents Club.
She loved to cook for others and do historical research. Because of her wealth of knowledge, she was an early version of the internet for anyone who sought her help or advice. Three of Alice’s biggest joys were serving as the 35th State Regent of Kansas DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), being inducted into the Kansas Teachers’ Hall of Fame at Dodge City, and earning the title of Fellow of the American College of Genealogists as a certified genealogist.
Alice was able to live on the farm alone until ninety-five with the company of her dog, Honey B, the help of her farm renters – Kevin Whitcomb and Melvin Holloman, and the faithful Centerville Community Church that she had come to value so much. After a bad fall, her final year was spent at Moran Manor, where she was treated like family.
Alice was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Steve Frazier; son-in-law, Dale Jackson; daughter-in-law, Peggy Walker; and grandson by marriage, Zachery Wisely; but the most profound loss was when Howard, her true love and soulmate, died in 2006.
She leaves behind a legacy with two children, John H. Walker of McFarland and Alicia A. Jackson of Uniontown, along with their families, including six grandchildren – Mary (Brad) Finney of Eskridge; Julie (Kenny) Ten Eyk of McFarland; Jubal (Wendy) Walker of Edmond, OK; Gretchen Magee of Gravette, AR, Meaghan (Matt) Russell of Redfield, and Caitlin (Clayton) Nading of Fort Scott. She was Grandma-Great to twelve: Virginia and Jonathon Walker; Candace (Chris) Davis; Amiee (Ryan) Runyon; Tyler Ten Eyk; Keagan, Layton, Preston, and Jocelyn Magee, and Brayden, Kohlton, and Aubrynn Russell. Her great-great grandchildren are Reever and Rook Davis as well as Luna and Damon Runyon.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at the Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel in Garnett, Kansas. Burial will follow in the Garnett Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Howard & Alice Walker Scholarship at Emporia State University and left in care of the funeral home.