Alyce Kathleen Rozett
Alyce Kathleen Rozett left this
world peacefully on November 29, 2010, in Billings, MT. Born
February 27, 1923, to Elmo and Edna (Loftus) Shaw in Harvey,
ND, she spent her childhood in North Dakota and Minnesota.
Alyce was extremely close to her siblings and shared many
happy years with them. She graduated from high school in
Sanish (Newtown), ND, in 1942. While working as secretary to
a colonel at the Army base in Cut Bank, MT, Alyce met the
love of her life, Arthur J. Rozett, Jr.(Rozie). Following a
brief courtship, they were married on July 31, 1943.
After living in Billings, MT, Vancouver, WA, and Yonkers,
NY, Alyce and Rozie eventually settled in Great Falls, MT,
in 1951. They had seven children and taught them how very
special large families are. Life at the Rozett's also
included six foster children.
Alyce spent many hours with friends from St. Gerard's
circle, especially enjoying pinochle. She and Rozie loved to
square dance, travel, and camp with the kids. Alyce
displayed her creative side as a Cub Scout den mother. Later
she and Rozie wintered in Mesa, AZ.
Known as a fabulous cook, Alyce specialized in sheetcake
apple pies. She kept her mind sharp as a voracious reader
and master of crossword puzzles.
Those talents, however, did not lend themselves to her
driving skills, as evidenced when she rear-ended a Cadillac
with her golf cart in Mesa. Always witty, she referred to
the Cadillac by saying, "Nothing but the best for me!"
Alyce and Rozie moved from Great Falls to Billings in 1995.
They shared 53 wonderful years together until his death in
1996.
In 2003 Alyce's children honored her on her 80th birthday
with a presentation of "This is Your Life, Alyce Rozett,"
recapping the highlights of her life, a night of much
laughter and many tears of joy.
Our favorite memories of Mom include Christmas Eve when the
folks packed us up in our station wagon to see the Christmas
lights on Smelter Hill in Great Falls, in anxious
anticipation of Santa's arrival while we were gone.
Each year, just before we pulled away from the curb, Mom
would announce that she forgot her purse and rushed back
into the house. It seemed like hours before she returned to
the car, out of breath, after laying out Christmas presents
for seven kids under the tree. It took us years to realize
her magic was even better than Santa's.
Alyce was preceded in death by her parents; brother Fritz;
and husband Rozie. She is survived by her seven children,
Terri Traber, Grand Junction, CO; Stefanie (Dan Erving),
Helena, MT; Mark (Jessica), La Crescenta, CA; Scott, South
Pasadena, CA; Paul (Sandie), Billings, MT; Dion, Tulsa, OK;
and Soon Fuller, Kingsport, TN; 16 grandchildren, 8
great-grandchildren; sisters, Mary Sannes and Patsy Munson,
and numerous nieces and nephews.
We know a special lady
joined You in heaven today.
Her life on earth here with us
was much too brief a stay.
We wonder what God's plan is,
why He worked it out this way,
but we know He's waiting with Mom
for us to come and play.
Love, the Kids
A memorial celebration of Alyce's life will be held in the spring, 2011.
Remembrances
Please leave your name and remembrance in this public guest book. Your comments will be shared on this page and forwarded to the family.
Dion, my thoughts and prayers are with you at this time. Louise Brinkman and Patty Mills