Alice (van der Welle) James

Alice James - beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great-great grandmother, aunt, cousin, and goodhearted friend - passed from this life at age 104 years, 5 months, and 4 days on February 18, 2022 in Pullman, WA.   Graveside services will be held 11:00 AM  on Monday, February 28, 2022 at the Enterprise Cemetery in Ferndale, followed by a reception at the Custer Methodist Church.

Alice was born in Sloten, the Netherlands on September 16, 1917 and named Aaltje van der Welle.  At age nine, she immigrated to the United States with her parents and brother, entering at Ellis Island and traveling via train to settle on Whidbey Island.  She attended a small, 2-room, 8-grade country school where her name was soon "Americanized" to "Alice."  She started third grade mid-year not knowing how to speak English.  By the time she graduated from Oak Harbor High School in 1935, she was the senior class speaker.  She became a US citizen in 1937.

Alice met Percy Leonard James while they were in high school and married on his 23rd birthday, March 24, 1939.   Alice worked as an office assistant at the high school while Percy worked for different farmers.  By 1943 they had saved enough to buy a 25-acre dairy farm in Custer, WA.  They later purchased an additional 75 acres of land and raised two children, Larry and Sally.  She was the farm's bookkeeper and chief farmhand and also worked for Firestone in Ferndale making airplane fuel tanks during World War II and later, at freezing plants in Lynden and Ferndale, and the fish cannery at Semiahmoo in Blaine.  Alice and Percy worked side-by-side on the farm for 36 years until their retirement in 1979.

Following Percy's death in 1988, Alice continued to live on the farm until moving to Pullman to be closer to her family.  She had lived on the farm and in the same house for 67 years!   She moved to Whitman (now Regency) Senior Living in Pullman in 2010 and to Precious Elders Adult Family Home in February 2016.

Alice was a long time member and treasurer of the Cardinal Rebecca Lodge of Custer, receiving The Decoration of Chivalry , the Rebecca Lodge's highest recognition in 1988.  She was a Cub Scout leader, active in Ladies Aid, Custer PTA, and in later years, the Custer Methodist Church.   She was an accomplished seamstress and loved to garden, being especially proud of her beautiful dahlias.

Alice is remembered for her amazing ability to recall dates, people, and events; delicious lemon meringue pies and divinity; remembering shut-ins and the sick with visits, phone calls, and greeting cards; and never forgetting a birthday, anniversary, graduation, or special occasion of family and friends.  Each Christmas she baked dozens of cookies and several batches of candy for gift plates which she gave to neighbors, friends, relatives, shut-ins, the mailman, milk inspectors, delivery and milk truck drivers, store clerks, and anyone else who needed to be remembered or thanked.

Alice was an awesome grandmother who loved her grandchildren and their visits.  Her home was a warm, welcoming place of unconditional love where they could hang out with Grandma or stay as long they wanted.

Alice had many close friends over the years.  They were neighbors, or members of the Rebecca Lodge or the Custer Methodist Church.  They'd visit on the phone (a party-line in the early days), go shopping, chat over coffee, and help with community, school, Lodge, and church dinners.

She was preceded in death by Percy, her parents John (1966) and Elizabeth (1943), and brother Gerritt (1935).  She is survived by her son Larry (Elaine) of Pullman and daughter Sally (Dean Rogers) of Mesa, AZ; 6 grandchildren (Greg James, Jeff James, Elizabeth Arrasmith, Carolyn Freeman, Jennifer Munn, and Diane Gray); 13 great grandchildren (Jordie, Aron, and Hannah James; Ace, Seaton, Jude, and Finn James; Katie and Ben Arrasmith; Lilly Freeman; and MacKenzie, Alexa, and Greyson Munn); and 1 great-great granddaughter (Ava James).

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Erick Kayioni and all the other loving caregivers at Precious Elders (Helen, Claire, Nellie, Kina, Lucy, Niyi, Bisi, and Evelyn), who treated Alice like a precious member of their family.  We are thankful for the outstanding care Alice received over the last six years.

Alice's long and blessed life was a wonderful example of love, generosity and kindness to her children, grandchildren, and friends.  We miss her more than words can express. Corbeill Funeral Home of Pullman, WA has been entrusted with arrangements.