Alice Marie Douthit

1927-2026

Alice Douthit was born in Cleveland, Ohio on September 12, 1927 to Matthew and Marie Cipra.

As young a child in the 1930s, Alice moved with her family to San Diego, California where she

lived more than half her life. Alice attended the University of Southern California in the 1940s,

obtaining her Bachelor’s degree. She was in the first class of dental hygienists - the college

developing the curriculum as they went along. To this day, USC dental college sends to her their

newsletter. She wondered how they continued to find her no matter where she moved! She

loved her work as a dental hygienist and spoke proudly of her work throughout her life. A letter

she kept from the dentist she worked for in 1948 spoke so highly of her and wished her well as

she moved on to another job in another city….

In her 50s, Alice moved to Siloam Springs, Arkansas. She retired from her work as a dental

hygienist and began her next “career” as a volunteer – at the local hospital emergency room,

the town library, and the Manna Center. She made many friends. Her daughter, Annette, came

to live with her and Alice helped raise her grandchildren, Marie and Jason. Later, in her 90’s, the

enjoyed the company of her nephew, Phillip, who lived with her for several years.

In her mid-90’s in Summer 2022 – when the COVID pandemic, Phillip’s death, 

 and maintaining the beautiful old house on the hill became to much for her, Alice decided to move to Santa Fe to live her last years near her son,

Rex. Just two-doors down from Rex, Alice lived in a small adobe-style apartment, complete with

fireplace, coyote fence, and ristras. Her home was adorned with her favorite mementos of times past. Although she missed

her home and life and friends in Siloam Springs, Santa Fe reminded her in many ways of her

earlier life in San Diego – she felt in some ways that she was on her way back home.

She loved her many dogs and cats – feeding all of the neighborhood strays in Siloam Springs.

She was a “cat lady.” Alice also was a voracious reader of novels. She read Tony Hillerman’s

entire Leaphorn/Chee series in the first year she was in Santa Fe. In her spare time from her

volunteer work in Siloam Springs, Alice loved to garden and spent hours planting flowers and

“hauling hoses.” In her last years, her favorite activity was sitting outside in the warm Santa Fe

sun, looking over the flower garden Rex planted for her.

Alice is preceded in death by her parents Matthew and Marie, sister Mara Lee, brother-in-

law Harold, and her beloved nephew Phillip. She is survived by her son Rex, daughter-in-law

Kathy, and daughter Annette; grandchildren Marie and Jason; and her great-grandchildren. She

leaves behind her cousin Jackie; nephews and nieces Lloyd, Larry, Gary, Wendy and Chris and

their many children; and her friends in Siloam Springs.

Alice died peacefully in her home with her loved ones beside her on Wednesday, April 22th,

2026 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Alice was blessed with 98 years, 7 months and 10 days of life on

this earth. She will be missed dearly by those she touched.

Alice’s cremated ashes will someday soon be returned to the earth, probably somewhere near

San Diego, her first home.