Alice Elles

Alice Elles was born Dec. 31, 1919, in Richmond, Maine, and grew up in Augusta. She found employment at the State House there, and when President Roosevelt asked for female stenos to replace the men going into the service, she left for a job with the War Department in 1942. There she met and married Edward John Elles, a Navy Radioman. A son, Felix, was born there.

After several duty stations around the country and the birth of another son, Alex, the family lived for many years on Whidbey Island. There Alice wrote for the Whidbey Press and later became secretary at the Navy Chapel. From there she became secretary at the Whidbey Branch of the Skagit Valley College until her retirement. She played and sang in The Silver Tones, the Oak Harbor Senior Band. Alice moved to Bellingham in 1995 and enjoyed dancing at the Senior Center and other local venues until just a few weeks before her death on Oct. 5, 2009.

She is survived by her sister, Mildred Betts of Maine; brother, Carl of Connecticut; son, Felix of Lummi Island; close friend, Guy Foster; and also many relatives in New England and Prince Edward Island, Canada.

A Celebration of Alice’s Life will be held at Westford’s Broadway Hall, 1300 Broadway in Bellingham on Friday, Oct. 16, at 1:30 p.m. You may view photos of Alice and share memories with the family at www.westfordfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Westford Funeral Home, Bellingham.