Alice May Woodsum

Memorial services for Alice May Woodsum, 93, Lawrence, will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, November 18, 2016 at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence. Inurnment will be held at a later date at Highland Cemetery, Ottawa, KS. She passed away Sunday, November 13, 2016 at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor.

Alice was born July 28, 1923 to the parents of: David Edmond and Mattie Vera (Brown) Newkirk.

She was born in Kiowa, KS at the farm house, the second daughter of six children. Times were very hard and Alice learned early on how to be a worker and a helper on the family farm. When the Depression hit at age 14 she had to leave school and worked long hard hours side-by-side with her father in the fields. Leaving school was the saddest day of her life. She was a great speller and enjoyed violin music classes. At age six she learned to ride a horse to help with the cattle, at which time she was kicked by a horse and suffered lifetime injuries.

At age 18 she left the farm and rode the train to Ottawa, KS to be with relatives.

In 1943 she married Edward S. Woodsum at Olathe, KS. Two short years later Alice’s parents were divorced. There seemed to be no place for the four younger children. During court session, Edward stood up and said we’ll take the boys and give them a home and so they did.
Together, hand-in-hand Edward and Alice started a landscaping and a tree nursery business and that was their life for the next 28 years.
Vacation time took them on many wonderful travels all thru the 50 states and three beautiful trips to Hawaii.

In the 1970’s Edward and Alice sponsored nine Philippine girls who were exchange nurses in the Kansas City area. Those girls appreciated this and were the sunshine of Alice and Edward’s life. To this late date they still refer to Alice as mom and Edward was always their shining star.
Upon Edward’s passing, Alice moved to the Lawrence area. She saw to the construction of her new home and then later moved to the Presbyterian Manor. Alice loved to play cards and also loved a good joke.

Alice was preceded in death by her husband, Edward; one sister, Docia Ellen Morgan, four brothers, Loren Orville Newkirk, Alva Lyle Newkirk, Howard Lee Newkirk, and Orley Hale Newkirk.

Memorials may be made in her name to a charity of donor’s choice and may be sent in care of the Warren-McElwain Mortuary.