Roger's Scrapbook

(Some of the photos displayed here may be interactive.)

Family Page

Alice Marie (Greek) Hill (1912-2002)

Chapter 4. Her final years as a widow.

Gene's funeral was held at St Andrew's Catholic Church in Sierra Vista, AZ, on 5 Oct 1996.

Interactive Photo.
Click on it to open a 9 min 17 sec video.

Family gathering at Gene's funeral.
(L to R:)Amelia (Teresa's daughter), Teresa, Richard, Mindy, Roger, Rolly, Alice, John, Bettye (John's wife), Judy, Julie, Jim, Louise, Craig and, in front of Roger, Eden (Craig's daughter).

A family gathering in a cozy living room with a fireplace.

At Gene's funeral reception at Jim and Julie's house in Sierra Vista, AZ. Oct 1996.
(L to R:)Julie, Bettye, Alice, Louise and Teresa, In front, Amelia, and Isabelle (Jim and Julie's daughter.)

Four elderly individuals posing indoors, smiling at the camera.

Alice and sons at Gene's funeral reception at Jim and Julie's house in Sierra Vista, AZ. Oct 1996.
L to R: Roger, Alice, John, and Richard.

Three people sitting on a couch in a cozy living room with a stone fireplace.

Alice and sons at Gene's funeral reception at Jim and Julie's house in Sierra Vista, AZ. Oct 1996.
L to R: Jim, Alice and John.

An elderly couple sitting and chatting outdoors at night.

Alice and Rolly at Gene's funeral reception in Sierra Vista, AZ. Oct 1996.

Couple sitting on a stone bench by a fireplace with flowers.

Alice and Roger at Gene's funeral reception at Jim and Julie's house in Sierra Vista, AZ. Oct 1996.

Three women joyfully embracing in front of a door.

Alice with granddaughters Diana and Chill and great-granddaughter Liliana. Sierra Vista, AZ. Dec 1996.
L to R: Diana, Lili, Alice, and Chill.

Two women holding a smiling baby outdoors on a sunny day.

Alice with granddaughter Diana and great-granddaughter Liliana. Sierra Vista, AZ. Dec 1996.

Elderly couple smiling and embracing outdoors near a tree.

Alice and Roger. Sierra Vista, AZ. Mar 1997.

Cozy living room with plants near a glass door overlooking a garden.

In May 1997 Alice moved to The Palms, a retirement community in Loma Linda, CA. This is a view of the patio from inside her living room. Alice was now living only about 10 miles from where she was born.

Four people standing indoors, dressed formally, smiling at the camera.

In Jan 1998 Gene's sister, Lucille (Hill) Davies, passed away. This picture was taken at our dear "Auntie Lu's" funeral reception. L to R: Judy, Mindy, Richard, Alice, and John. Yucaipa, CA. Jan 1998.

Group enjoying drinks and celebration with balloons and gifts.

Alice turned 86 on 2 Apr 1998. The family organized a birthday dinner for her at Dillon's Restaurant in Redlands, CA. Around the table: Judy, Mindy, Roger, Alice, Dennis and Sheila Davies and son John.

A man affectionately embraces an elderly woman at a dinner table.

Alice with Jack Davies at her birthday party. Redlands, CA. 2 Apr 1998.

Elderly woman smiling at a restaurant table with food and drinks.

Alice (Greek) Hill at 86. Redlands, CA. 2 Apr 1998.

Four children standing outdoors in front of a mountain backdrop.

Alice (R) at age 6 with her brothers and sisters at the family ranch house in Highgrove, CA. 1918

Elderly woman standing on a dirt path with a cane in a scenic countryside.

Alice at age 86 near where the family ranch house stood. Highgrove, CA. Apr 1998.

The children called the "mountain" in the background "Sugar Loaf mountain". Alice told stories about clambering up Sugar Loaf with her leg in a brace and with her brother Clarence's help to get a view over the valley.

It's possible that the Greek children played around the old shade tree seen behind Alice in 1998. Remnants of the orange grove where their father, Claude, worked can be seen in the background.

A group of people seated around a wooden dining table with tea and snacks.

Alice at her 87 birthday party. L to R: Dennis and Sheila Davies, Richard, Alice, Jack Davies, Chuck and Barbara (Davies) Park, and John. Redlands, CA. 2 Apr 1999.

Four people standing indoors, posing for a photo.

Alice with sons (L to R) Richard, John, and Roger. Redlands, CA. 2 Apr 1999.

An elderly woman with a cane stands next to a younger woman in a cozy living room.

Alice with great granddaughter Amelia Neptune. Loma Linda, CA. April 1999.

Three elderly people smiling indoors, two standing and one seated.

Alice with Jack and Dennis Davies. Loma Linda, CA. @ 2000.

Interactive Photo.
Click on it to open a video.

Christmas Eve 2000 at Rich and Judy's house. Claremont CA.
Alice is there with along with John, Roger, Louise and many in the Davies and Park families.

A 3 min 48 sec video.

Interactive Photos.
Click on either to open a 2 part video.

Alice at her 90th birthday party with a great many of her family.4 Apr 2002, San Bernardino,CA.

Part 1. An 8 min 30 sec video.

Part 2. An 8 min 25 sec video.

Five people sitting at a table with flowers, smiling for a photo.

Alice at her 90th birhday party. L to R: Chill, Amelia, Teresa, Alice, Rolly, Dot, Pat (partially hidden)

Elderly group celebrating with flowers and cake indoors.

Alice at her 90th birhday party. L to R:Teresa, Alice, Rolly, Pat (behin d camera),Dot, Rich (partially hidden), Dennis.

Elderly couple enjoying a meal surrounded by flowers and decorations.

Alice and Rolly at her 90th birhday party: the last of the Greek siblings.

Elderly woman smiling joyfully behind a vibrant bouquet of flowers.

Alice Marie (Greek) Hill at 90. 2 Apr 2002.

As she blew out the candles on her birthday cake, Alice made a wish that "we could all be together next year". But it seemed clear that she knew that her time was coming to an end.

Barely 9 months later, Alice was taken to Kaiser Hospital in Fontana suffering from broken bones after falling in her apartment in Loma Linda. She died in the hospital on December 29, 2002. Her official cause of death was "respiritory failure." But I believe she had simply "had enough" and gave up her spirit.

Her funeral was held at St Joseph's Catholic Church in Fontana on January 3, 2003, with many in the family in attendance. She had kept Gene's ashes with her continually since his death. Following her funeral, Gene and Alice's ashes were interred together in the Cremation Gardens at Montecito Memorial Park in Colton, CA.

Floral tribute at a memorial with photo and candles.

Alice's funeral. St Joseph's Catholic Church, Fontana, CA. 3 Jan 2003.

Four elderly men standing together outdoors, smiling and posing for a photo.

Alice's sons (L to R) John, Roger, Richard, and Jim at Montecito Memorial Gardens, Colton CA. 3 Jan 2003.

Memorial plaques on a brick wall honoring Lt. Col. Eugene F. Bell and Alice Marie Klinger Bell.

The obituary I wrote for Mom in 2003 ended with these words:
"Though she suffered with physical ailments throughout most of her life she was blessed with a caring heart and a sharp and inquisitive intellect that warmed her and those around her to her last hours on earth."

I will always be grateful for that warmth and will carry it with me to the end of my days.

A collage of black-and-white and color family photos centered around a baby picture.

The line in Snatam Kaur's song "Carry Me" about a teardrop falling into the ocean, has become an image for me of my mother's death and the life that went before. And from that image comes this wish for Alice:

"May the teardrop of your soul
Find sweet peace in the
Ocean of the
Creator's
Love."

Casa Colombe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
November 22, 2015