Maria Alfie
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On the morning of Thursday December 7, 2023, in the presence of her son Sebastian and his wife Carmen, Maria Alfie passed away peacefully. She was 91 years old.
Maria was born on April 8, 1932, in Florence Italy, the daughter of Francesco Tullio Moltifiori and Nella Moltifiori (née Mosti); Maria was the identical twin of Luisa Paschino. Having a budding talent, Maria liked to sketch the artworks around the Renaissance city of Florence, particularly the Masaccio frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel. In 1950, the Moltifiori family emigrated from Italy to Argentina, where Maria found employment in the advertising industry. In Buenos Aires, Maria met Salomon Alfie, and the two of them were married on May 27, 1957. Salomon and Maria Alfie remained happily married until his death earlier this year.
Maria and Salomon moved to the United States in 1960 so that Salomon could study psychoanalysis at the Menninger Foundation in Topeka. While in Topeka, Maria made ends meet by again working in advertising. Later, the family moved to Providence, where she attended the Rhode Island School of Design. It was in Rhode Island that Maria began in earnest her career as an artist. In 1976, the family moved back to Kansas City, where she lived until 2015. Maria and Salomon spent their final decade in Lawrence, KS.
Maria was a talented painter who made a career in the art communities of Boston and Providence in the 1960s and 1970s, and that of greater Kansas City in the subsequent decades. She worked in oils, pastels and watercolors, and her paintings were represented in numerous galleries. Maria also donated works of art to support causes that were important to her. A record of her works, along with her Artist’s Statement, can be found in the Archives at the Art Reference Library at the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City (https://nelson-atkins.org/library/#museum-archives).
Maria is survived by her two sons, Sebastian (Carmen Orth-Alfie) and Fabian (Laura Alexander), and her three grandchildren Tristan (Courtney Layton), Gwentessa, and Ezri. She is also survived by Enzo (Darcy) and Nella Paschino, the children of her twin, Luisa, who passed away in 2013, and Enzo and Darcy’s children, Francesca and Gilbert. Maria is remembered by her family as a loving mother and grandmother. She had an inquisitive nature, and loved art, reading, and music.
Family visitation for Maria will be held at Warren-McElwain Mortuary on Thursday December 14, 2023, at 6:00 PM, followed by the memorial service at 7:00 PM.
She will be missed.
In lieu of flowers, her family suggests donations in support of the arts.
Carmen and Sebastian,
Our sympathy to you and your families
Dearest Sebastian and Carmen and family,
Sending all my love and prayers for comfort to you during this sensitive time. May God bless and keep you. Reading this history of her life tells me she was an amazing woman—she must be so proud of you an your family. With sincerest condolences—The Murphrees
I remember Maria very well. Her paintings were absolutely beautiful. One time Beverly Amundson, Maria and I drove to Wichita to an art show. We had a chance to stop at a grocery store. Maria showed me how to pick out the best egg plant to buy. I know that may sound a little silly to talk about but I always remembered that and i always pick out the best egg plant.
My thoughts and prayers are with your family. Take care, Mary
I shared a model with Maria many times. Also, we painted en plein aire in the Flint Hills of KS. Once while painting there the wind was so fierce we didn’t need easels as our canvases were held by the wind against the fence row. She was an inspiring and very good artist and contributed to our world!
Sebastian and family,
I’m so sorry to read about the loss of your mother. I hope the memories of her will give you comfort, especially during this difficult time.