Alice Arndt

Deceased: 7 March 2007

Alice Arndt, 1941 - 2007

Alice Arndt died March 7, 2007 in Richmond, Texas of breast cancer, more than eight years after she was first diagnosed.

Now, don't you say, "Poor her, what a personal tragedy for her." You need to be thinking instead how many women are dying of this malady, and say, "Yikes! We've got a public-health crisis here!" And also, "We'd better do something about this!"

Alice was born in the middle of 1941. So if you care to know how old she was, you can do the math. She was, of course, much too young to die. She loved being alive, and believed that each day was a gift.

Born in Michigan, the daughter of Robert Bottomley and Jean Williamson Bottomley, Alice grew up in Florida, where she lived until she graduated from college (Stetson University, summa cum laude, mathematics). After that she moved around, and in the end had lived in eight states and five foreign countries. She refused to admit to the number of houses she moved into and out of in her lifetime. She got a master's degree in mathematics early on (UNCChapel Hill) and taught at colleges and universities for a few years. Later, she did lots of post-graduate work in history and food.

She was a pioneer in the new field of Food History, studying, writing and lecturing about it at every opportunity. She was active in several culinary historians' groups around the country.

Alice always had lots of projects going. She published articles, taught classes, and presented lectures. She had way more ideas for books than her lifetime allowed, but she was happy that God gave her the time and the ability to finish Seasoning Savvy and the biographical dictionary Culinary Biographies.

Rob was her husband for 36 years and two days. Her family also includes two daughters, Elizabeth and Nicole, her son-in-law Eric, and her twin granddaughters Gwendolyn and Adrienne.

Her many dear friends throughout her life were a great joy. All these wonderful people were very important to her, and her wish was that they will remember her fondly and happily. Alice was a convinced Quaker. Even though she was reluctant to leave this life, she was pretty sure that whatever comes next will be wonderful also. A certain curiosity about the Afterlife assisted her death.

A memorial service will be held at one o'clock in the afternoon on Saturday, the 24th of March 2007 at Live Oak Friends Meeting, 1318 W. 26th Street, Houston, TX 77008.