WOOSTER Alice Flournoy Schmitthenner, 93, of Wooster passed away peacefully in her sleep on Tuesday December 14, 2021 at Danbury Senior Living in Wooster.
Alice was born on February 7, 1928, in Richmond, Virginia, the eldest daughter of Thomas and Sallie Flournoy. Alice grew up on a tobacco farm located near Lawrenceville in Southern Virginia. She spent her childhood playing with her sisters, Milly and Sally, traipsing around the farm with her father and looking for wildflowers. To encourage Alice s interest in flowers, her mother bought her a field guide to American wildflowers and Alice identified her first wildflower by herself when she was 12 years old. This love of wildflowers and traipsing around outdoors set the tone for her entire life.
Alice graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman s College in 1949 where she majored in biology and minored in chemistry. During her college years, Alice spent every summer attending outdoor science programs offered by different colleges including the University of Virginia, Duke University and the University of Richmond. Alice taught for two years at Agnes Scott in Atlanta, Georgia while she was working on her master s degree in botany at Emory University. Alice then transferred to The Ohio State University where she earned her M.Sc, in botany.
While at OSU, Alice met her future husband August Frederick Schmitthenner (Fritz). He was very impressed with Alice as she knew more of the wildflowers than any of the other Botany grad students. They spent many happy weekends exploring the wildflowers in southern Ohio, starting a pattern that would continue for the next 64 years. Alice and Fritz were married in 1954 soon after Alice received her master s degree.
Alice spent the rest of her years living in Wooster, Ohio with Fritz where they raised two sons, Ed (Augie) and Tom. Once Augie was born, Alice stopped working and concentrated on raising Augie and Tom. Alice was very active in many local groups including Monday Club, The League of Women Voters, The Wilderness Center (Backpackers and Botanizers), Izaak Walton League, Wooster Garden Study Club, Friends of Wooster Memorial Park and the Canton Hilltop Hikers. She was a long and active member of Westminster Presbyterian Church, Wooster (1955). Alice spent the last 3 years of her life in the memory care unit at Danbury Senior Living in Wooster. Although her memory and general cognitive abilities gradually declined over the years, she retained her sweet disposition, sense of humor, ability to read and love of flowers and birds.
Alice s interests in botanizing and traveling were a major part of her life with Fritz. Alice and Fritz traveled the US and the world identifying flowers. They traveled to 49 states concentrating on the desert wildflowers in the Southwest in the spring, and Rocky Mountain wildflowers in the summer. Her world travels included trips to Canada, Europe, China, Thailand, South Africa, Australia and Argentina.
Alice was preceded in death by her beloved husband Fritz. Surviving, are her two sisters Milly (Robert) De Marcellus and Sally Gerhardt, her 2 children, August E. (Linda) Schmitthenner and Thomas F. (Penny) Schmitthenner; 2 grandchildren Matthew (Katy) and Rebecca, 2 step grandchildren, Shawn (Jenn) Carpenter and Aron (Rachel) Carpenter, 1 great granddaughter, and 4 step great grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 2:00 PM in the Lakeview Shelter at The Wilderness Center, 9877 Alabama Ave. SW., Wilmont. She will be inurned in the family plot in Pennsylvania also at a later date.
McIntire, Bradham & Sleek Funeral Home, 216 E. Larwill St., Wooster is assisting the family
The family wishes to thank the nurses, aides and staff at Danbury Senior Living and the staff of LifeCare Hospice for their professional and compassionate care shown to Miss Alice .
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to LifeCare Hospice, 1900 Akron Rd. Wooster, Ohio 44691 or the Alzheimer s Foundation.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.mcintirebradhamsleek.com
Memorial Contributions
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to LifeCare Hospice, 1900 Akron Rd. Wooster, Ohio 44691 or the Alzheimer s Foundation.
Service
Memorial services will be held on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 2:00 PM in the Lakeview Shelter at The Wilderness Center, 9877 Alabama Ave. SW., Wilmont
Visitation
It was an honor to get to know and assist Alice these last few years! She was a wonderful, sweet woman! Prayers for your family during this difficult time!!
We enjoyed both of your parents while botanizing and backpacking with the Wilderness Center. They were an important part of many wonderful treks. They had a great impact in influencing many to appreciate the natural world.
Rest in Peace, Alice. I remember hiking with Alice years ago and what a sweet lady she was.
Ed and Tom, I have fond memories of the time spent with your mom and the informative conversations we had. I remember her kindness and patience. I hope your memories help bring you comfort.
Ed and Tom, your father was my husband’s advisor for his master’s degree. Your parents attended our wedding in 1975. We kept in touch over the years, and on one of our last visits to Wooster we met with Fritz and Alice for breakfast. Alice was a lovely and gracious lady. You were blessed to have such fine people for parents. They will be missed but fondly remembered. Our sincerest condolences for you and your family at this sad time.
You mom was still an intelligent woman that I got to know in her later years in Memory with my mom Dottie. May the memories of her beautiful life and love of nature sustain and comfort you during this end of an era.