Remembering Alice W. Huie on what would have been her 100th birthday. Born on June 22, 1926 in Chico, California, to immigrant parents, her family moved to San Francisco Chinatown when Alice was a young child. From an early age, Alice was an exceptional student, always getting straight A’s throughout her school years and eventually graduating first in her high school class. Because of family circumstances and World War II, Alice joined the workforce, being employed by the Bank of America for several years.
After the end of the war, when life returned to something more normal, Alice married longtime family friend Calvin Huie on January 2, 1948. The newlywed couple made their home in Alameda’s West End, where Calvin worked for over 40 years at the former Alameda Naval Air Station before retiring. Alameda was a great place for raising their family, which grew to nine children, all of whom attended Alameda public schools.
While being a stay-at-home mom, Alice stressed the importance of education and was always quick to mention how thankful she was for Calvin’s work ethic that provided for the family, often working nights, weekends, and picking up various part-time jobs. With so many mouths to feed and no Costco being opened yet, grocery shopping at least twice a week was a necessary chore.
During Alice’s “free” time she spent countless hours contributing to many civic and educational groups. When asked about her choices, Alice said she always chose those groups and organizations that contributed to the greater good for all of Alameda. Her early participation traced back over 70 years when she was an Alameda representative at the 1956 National PTA Convention. For her extensive volunteer efforts, Alice was recognized as Alameda’s Citizen of the Year in 2000 for her lifelong work. In addition to her PTA participation, she was a founding member of the Alameda League of Women Voters, a founding member of Friends of the Alameda Free Library, Board Member for Red Cross, a Base Closure Committee member, EBMUD citizen committee member, citizen member of the Alameda Police Oversight Committee, Alameda County Registrar of Voters, Brown Baggers member, Alameda Chinese Club and several other groups.
In addition to her own participation, Alice routinely enlisted several family members to help move books, and assist with registrations, staffing information booths, set ups/cleaning up and other tasks. She instilled in her family the importance of volunteering and giving back to the community.
While Alice avoided the spotlight and rarely sought any recognition, she loved being in the Alameda 4th of July Parade. The small-town feel, dressing up in red, white, and blue, and being among friends and fellow volunteers was special for her.
Among her leisure activities, she loved traveling, particularly her family’s annual one-week vacations to Lake Tahoe and the numerous memories associated with those trips. She enjoyed traveling in general, visiting China twice as well as trips to Australia and Sweden. Alice and the rest of her family were big sports fans, following the Oakland A’s, and the San Francisco Giants and Forty Niners. She was an avid reader, knitted, and even took up playing a traditional Chinese harp.
When her youngest child started school, Alice took advantage of the free time to attend classes at the College of Alameda and Laney College, and as expected continued to get A’s. Plus she joined the Alameda Head Start Program, teaching underprivileged children. Alice stayed very sharp well into her 90s, doing the daily crossword puzzle and watching Jeopardy daily. By her own account she lived a full productive life and was very proud of her large extended family.
Alice leaves her nine children: Susan, Sam, Amy, Audrey, David, Deanna, Carole, Cathy, and Pam. She leaves her beloved grandchildren Meredith, Geoffrey, Sherilyn, Stacy, Jordan, Link, August, Emilia, and great grandchild Drew.
Alice Huie passed away on August 17, 2025 and was predeceased by her husband Calvin Huie on December 11, 2005.
