Alice Bernice Wakefield, 89, passed away Wednesday, May 30, 2001, at the Clark Fork Valley Nursing Home in Plains, Montana. Alice had been a resident there for the last 9 months.

Alice was born May 13, 1912, to Rose and Elmer Hildebrant at their home, the Cherryview Hotel in Schafer North Dakota. Alice attended grade school in Schafer and high school in Watford City, North Dakota, where she graduated in 1930.

After high school, Alice attended summer school at the State Normal School in Dickinson, North Dakota. She was then a country school teacher in North Dakota, where she taught in one-room schools for five years. She returned to summer school classes in Dickinson for two more summers. She loved dorm life at the college and related stories about it to her family over the years.

When the Depression came to North Dakota, Alice followed her family and moved to Montana. Her family settled in the Trout Creek area, but Alice went to Missoula where whe enrolled in beauty school.

She and James S. Wakefield, who had also migrated from North Dakota, were married in Missoula, Montana, on November 16, 1935. They spent the first two years of their married life back in Watford City, North Dakota, before settling in Thompson Falls, Montana, in 1937. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1985. James preceded her in death in August of 1988 after 53 years of marriage.

Alice was a charter member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Thompson Falls. She enjoyed gardening, especially growing beautiful flowers, sewing, and cooking for her family. Apple pies were her specialty and she treated family and neighbors with them so often. She cherished the many good family times spent with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren over the years.

Family was so important to her always.

Besides her husband, James, Alice was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers; Maurice, Guy and Clarence, and a sister; Eveline.

She is survived by; two sons Raymond Wakefield and wife Lynn of Boise, Idaho, and Larry Wakefield and wife Linda; and one daughter Marilyn Vaught and husband Duane, all of Thompson Falls, Montana. Other survivors include three sisters; Maude Garrison and Alma Clark of Thompson Falls and Martha Lee of Seattle, Washington; and her 10 grandchildren and spouses Michelle and Robbin Finch, Todd and Christy Wakefield, Brenda and John Shaw, Vicki and Chris Yost, Randy and Lori Wakefield, Kevin and Shawni Vaught, Meagan and Alex Kittrell, Kerry Vaught, Kyle and Cole Wakefield; and 17 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Coffelt Bunch Funeral Home in Thompson Falls. Services will be held at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Thompson Falls on Monday, June 4, 2001 at 1:00 p.m. Pastor Richard Bahnson will officiate.

The family suggests that memorials be sent in her name to Our Savior's Lutheran

Church, Box 734, Thompson Falls, MT 59873, or to a charity of donor's choice.

8/19/2022: Sam134 # 49877404 added parents.

10/3/2023: Ripken Hanley #51634316 changed burial location from one cemetery in Sanders County to another.