Alice Faye Cameron
A caring daughter, a lifelong friend, compassionate caregiver, a loving wife, mother, and devoted grammy. Alice was a beautiful soul that touched so many lives with her kindness and genuine heart. She gave of herself to those in need and never asked for anything in return except to take her kindness and pay it forward.
Alice began life as a daughter to Robert and Faye Cameron in 1954. As a daughter to a sailor in the U.S. Navy, she traveled all over the United States from New York, to the Carolinas, Hawaii and then later settling in Port Orchard, Washington. She and her siblings were educated at Naval Avenue Elementary in Bremerton and then later at Marcus Whitman Junior High. Alice graduated from South Kitsap High School in Port Orchard with the class of 1972.
During her high school years, Alice was very active in sports. She served as a scorekeeper for the women’s basketball and volleyball teams and a member of the pep squad. She raised and showed livestock at the Kitsap County Fair for many years. She also participated in the pie baking contest and earned blue ribbons and honorable mentions. Alice loved baking and crafting, and she would make dresses and desserts for friends as a sign of thanks. Many classmates would describe Alice as a friend to all with a cheery demeanor and having a smile that could light up a room. She remained good friends throughout her life with some of her high school classmates. They will forever remember how she was a friend to all and stood up for those in need.
After high school, Alice continued her education in Point Lookout, Missouri at the School of the Ozarks. While there, she was studying to become a doctor and even received the nickname “doc” from fellow classmates. She was nicknamed “Alley” by her close friends. While working on her studies, she also applied her strong work ethic in the laundry room where she made a close friend for life. Alice was always thinking of others and was able to assist one of her dear friends from childhood by providing him with connections to his ideal field of study. He will forever remember her kindness and thank her for giving him the step up to achieve his dreams. When Alice wasn’t studying or working in the laundry, her adventurous spirit would go spelunking and cave exploring in Missouri. She never felt more connected to nature and God as she did on these excursions. Her college days in Missouri were cut short due to a family emergency and she returned home to Washington.
After returning to Washington, Alice married Eric who was a sailor at that time. He was in the U.S Navy and later worked for Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Both started a family shortly thereafter. Peter, Karl, Maggie, and Kate were their children.
Alice was happy to raise her family in Port Orchard where her parents still lived. Even though Port Orchard had grown over the years since she was away, some places remained the same. Alice took her children to Hi Joy Bowl for birthdays and Sunday morning breakfast. She joined a bowling team named the Housework Dodgers as one of her favorite hobbies. She would also take her children to enjoy milkshakes at Buck’s A&W on Friday nights after swimming at the South Kitsap High School pool. One of her most favorite places was the Pancake House where she would enjoy pecan waffles. All four of her children were able to graduate South Kitsap high School just like their mother. From there, Alice gave them wings to explore the world and live their lives.
Alice had many different careers throughout her life. She would work as an Emergency Medical Technician and eventually received her CNA license. She was a Home Health Aid and took care of seniors in their homes with various medical and household care. She received her Associate Degree in Medical Assistance Certification from Olympic College in Bremerton, alongside her youngest daughter Kate. Alice also managed to become a licensed barber as she attended Bates Technical College with her eldest daughter Maggie. Both worked together for several years in the same barber shop/salon in Port Orchard. Although she never received her degree as a doctor, she excelled at her most prized title of “Mom” and touched many lives through her various degrees, certifications, and careers.
Alice loved each of her four children and five grandchildren. She was proud of all of them. Peter, her oldest, traveled the world during his time in the United States Coast Guard. When he was overseas, he would send souvenirs from all over the world including Japan, Australia, Hawaii, South America, Antarctica, and many more. Even when he was stateside, Peter would have her visit his duty stations from all over Alaska, Seattle and Puerto Rico. Alice loved spending time in Alaska and even had an Alaskan barber license so she could help the local barber in Homer, Alaska. Alice was also able to take a family cruise aboard a US Coast Guard vessel buoy tender, USCG Hickory, from Todd Shipyard in Seattle to Fairhaven Harbor in Bellingham, Washington.
Karl, her second son, was a pillar of strength during the critical time in Alice’s life. Karl created a career for himself in the IT industry working for both the City of Seattle (Washington) and the City of Scottsdale (Arizona). Later in Alice’s life, she decided to move from Washington to Arizona and stay with Karl to help him with caring for her only Granddaughter, Adelaide. Addie and Grandma bonded over horse riding lessons and ice cream as they both loved to visit Dairy Queen after riding lessons. Alice made beautiful friends while living in Arizona. They will forever remember her homemade dresses and the generosity that she bestowed upon them.
Maggie, her oldest daughter, earned her barber license with Alice and continued to work alongside her for many years. They worked at Fantastic Sams until that business closed and joined Kitsap Beauty and Barber. Alice loved sharing stories with her clients and watching the children grow up. She was always cheerful and helped her coworkers anyway she could whether it was cleaning and prepping tools to bringing snacks and coffee. Maggie was the first of her children to make Alice a Grammy which filled her heart like no other could. Tristan and Ethan loved their Grammy so very much. Alice would send gifts and letters to her grandsons. Maggie and her boys would visit Arizona every summer and Alice was always excited to see them.
Kate, her youngest daughter, was her right hand as they shared many adventures from traveling in 1988 from West Virginia to Washington in an old pickup truck to visiting Alaska, Montana, Arizona and anywhere the road took them. They lived together, went to college together, and cared for Alice’s elderly parents together. When Kate gave the gift of a pair of grandsons to Alice, she never hesitated to be by Kate’s side when needed for the birth of Benjamin and Elliott.
Alice’s last adventure was with Peter heading to North Dakota where Kate prepared a home for her. When she arrived, she had an amazing afternoon surrounded by the love and laughter of her two youngest grandsons. Unfortunately, she was called home by her parents, Robert and Faye Cameron, and all those she cared for who already has joined God’s Kingdom.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the other kids in Alice’s life. The Kitsap County Humane Society gave Alice many 4-legged companions over the years. She rescued some of her most beloved dogs from there including her last companions of Liberty Grace and Lincoln K9.