Alice Mathilde Locke Hadley

----------------------- Alice Mathilde Locke Hadley Sep 9, 1944 - Mar 22, 2025 The heartbroken family of Alice Hadley would like to announce her passing on March 22, 2025 at the Victoria General Hospital after a brief illness. Born in Halifax in 1944, Alice was the middle daughter of the late Ronald and Peggy (nee Locke) Williams. She grew up on Dutch Village Road roaming the streets and woods around Rockwood with her sisters and friends, catching movies at the Hyland Theatre and enjoying milkshakes at the Armview Restaurant. Summers were spent at the Waeg, with the gang often forgoing the city tram so they could pocket the money their parents had given them for the fare to spend at the canteen. Tragedy visited Alice early when her father passed suddenly when she was nine. To help make ends meet, her mother would often rent rooms to travelling musicians, including Tommy Makem and the Clancy Brothers and Ryan’s Fancy. Whether or not her love of music developed through osmosis, it remained an important part of her life. She liked nothing more than to sing a tune whether she knew the words or not. Upon graduation from Halifax West High School in 1963, Alice took a secretarial course at Halifax County Vocational High School (later NSCC) and started working. She worked for most of her adult life, in both the private and public sector, to help support her growing family. She joined the Maritime Life Assurance Company in the early 1980’s and remained there until she retired in 2005. Alice was a proud MLAC alumna and maintained friendships with many of her co-workers until the time of her passing. Alice and her husband Mike moved to Alton Drive in Armdale in 1972. From then until 2013 when they moved to Anchor Drive, they raised five kids in a home filled with love where everyone was welcome. And that doesn’t include the five exchange students from South Korea or the many, many people who considered Alice their second mom. If those walls could talk (and thankfully they don’t) they would tell stories of many parties, impromptu get-togethers and barbecues that went to the wee hours. The doors were always open and it wasn’t uncommon for the entire posse of neighbourhood kids to gather, especially when they knew her cookies or legendary brown bread were in the oven. Her ability to bring people together continued up until the very end. In the 1990’s, Alice took up lawn bowling and joined the Wanderers Lawn Bowls Club spending many a night and weekend on the green playing both recreational and competitive matches. Many strong friendships grew from that small patch of grass. Provincial titles followed, and the pinnacle of her bowls career occurred in 1999 when the Hadley’s won a bronze medal in mixed pairs at the Bowls Canada nationals in Winnipeg. While Mom took great delight in her sporting achievements, she was most proud watching her children and then grandchildren grow up and excel. She never missed a game or performance whether it was in sports, theatre or on stage. In her later years, as the family grew and dispersed, and then when it became taxing for her to travel, she would watch on her iPad if the event was streamed. She took great pride in all their exploits. Mom loved her cats, crosswords and the CBC, settling in each morning with her coffee, newspaper and pencil at the ready with the radio on in the background. In the last few years, she took great pleasure in the days she won the family Wordle challenge. Spoiler alert: It happened all the time. She read the obituaries every day and often had a connection to the person being memorialized or their family. She seems to know everyone and as she told the kids many times growing up, “My spies are everywhere.” Mom wasn’t without her faults. From time to time her temper got the best of her and on those rare occasions, she was a world class door slammer. Sadly, this did not become a recognized Olympic sport in her lifetime, but we remain hopeful. Fortunately, the winds of anger would blow off as quickly as they materialized and everyone, rightfully contrite, would hug it out. She was world class at hugs too. Alice believed fiercely in human equality and there was no brokering from this ideal. Mom was accepting and supportive that your religion, sexuality, race, gender or social standing might differ from hers. The test for her was whether you were a good person. She didn’t have much time for “jerks.” Alice is survived by her loving husband and soul mate of 52 years Michael. Children Alison (Terry) Baker, Douglas (Jennifer Mitton), Jennifer (Christopher) Curran, Kathryn (Andrew) Firth and Gillian (Darren) Harnum. Grandchildren Andrew and Tim (Kourteney Lappan) Baker, Ben Hadley, Miles and Charlotte Firth, and Libby and Molly Harnum. Sister Nancy (Alan) Knight, best friends Ada Smith and Jane Williams, Jenny-Kate Hadley (Ben’s mom), and many beloved nieces and nephews who miss “Stinky Al” as much as we do. Besides her parents, she was predeceased by sister Mary Ann (Hugh) McGinn, granddaughter Alexandra Baker, first husband Kenneth Colley, and parents-in-law James and Gwenda Hadley, and James and Phyllis Colley. And we can’t forget her cats, Mr. Murphy, Clancy, Tommy, Fergie and Rose. All crossed the rainbow bridge having exhausted each and every one of their nine lives. She shared a language with them that was incomprehensible to all other humans. At her request, there will be no service or wake. Instead, Alice wanted a celebration for a life well-lived. In honour of her wish, the family will be receiving visitors on Friday, April 4 from 6 to 9 pm in the Windsor Room, Juno Tower, CFB Stadacona. In keeping with her credo, everyone is welcome (unless you’re jerk) and there will be plenty of parking. Come for a minute or stay the entire time. A family eulogy will be given at 7:30 pm. As much as Alice loved flowers, particularly yellow roses, she would prefer that a donation be made to your favourite charity. She gave to many over the years, including the Neo-Natal Unit of the IWK, SPCA, Diabetes, Mental Health and Hope for Wildlife. On the off chance that any of our "brothers and sisters" in Central America who Mom sponsored through World Vision in the 1970s and 1980s are reading this, “Madre te amó hasta el final.” In this time of grief, we are comforted knowing she is no longer in pain and by the overwhelming outpouring of support we’ve received. Mom’s favourite saying also provides comfort, “What are we? Lucky. We’re very, very lucky.”

Alice Mathilde Locke Hadley

September 9, 1944 - March 22, 2025