In Memoriam: Alice Slattery

Alice Marie Slattery, beloved wife, daughter, mother and grandmother, passed away on Wednesday, March 12th, 2008, at New Hanover Regional Medical Center following a brief illness that brought too soon an end to a vibrant life. Born July 7, 1942, in Framingham, MA, to Tilio and Madeline Franchi, Alice married her high school sweetheart John "Jack" Slattery on December 17, 1961. Over the next 40 years, they travelled the world together - first as Peace Corps volunteers and later for the United Nations, the United States Agency for International Development and the U.S. State Department - living for extended periods in India, Western Samoa, Kenya, and Niger. She worked in Africa as a program analyst, human settlements officer, personnel officer, researcher, consultant, and in Hawaii as a teacher. While stateside, she lived in Massachusetts, Hawaii, Virginia, and Wilmington, NC. 

Alice received her bachelor's degree from Goddard College and completed graduate work at George Mason University. She spoke fluent French. Throughout her life, she was an avid writer and completed two novels and numerous short stories. 

Alice was a devoted practitioner of yoga for more than thirty years. In 1983, she taught her first class, received teacher certification from the Yoga and Health Studies Center of Alexandria, VA, and was a teacher member of the Mid-Atlantic Yoga Association. Alice had a devoted following of students in Niger, Virginia and at Seaside Yoga in Wilmington. 

Alice and Jack moved to Wilmington in 2002. She quickly became involved in the Newcomers Club, Big Buddy Program, book groups, Emerald Forest neighborhood association, Coastal Carolina Returned Peace Corps Association, and other local organizations. 

Alice is survived by her husband Jack, daughters Erin Supernor and Elisa Slattery, father Tilio Franchi, sisters Jean Connolly, Madeline Franchi, and Christine Doucette, and grandchildren Elisabeth Greene, Michael Supernor and David Supernor. She leaves behind too many friends to list individually, although they were all close to her heart. 

A celebration of her life will be held at the Slattery home in Wilmington on Saturday, March 15th, beginning at 3pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in her name can be made to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (383 Main Avenue, 5th floor, Norwalk, CT 06851 or www.multiplemyeloma.org) or Charities of the Friends of India (c/o George Nepert, 34915 Gordy Road, Laurel, DE 19956 or www.foindia.org). 

Published in the Wilmington Star-News, 2008-03-15