Alice Connell passed away April 1, 2025, after a short illness, in St Francis Reflections Hospice House, Titusville, Florida.

She was preceded in death by her parents, RoseZella (Miller) and HO 'Buster' Rayburn, brother Ronnie Rayburn and his wife Patricia (Massey), and daughter Carole Beth (Prater) Bradley.

She is survved by her husband of 35 years William Connell, Aunt, Carol Rayburn Greer, Niece, Sarah (Rayburn) Bentley, Cousins Billie Sue (Rayburn) Rozell, Jo Ann (Rayburn) and Walker Burns, Nephew, Frank Rayburn, step-daughters Kristin Connell, Jennifer (Connell) Lingle, and step-granddaughter Sarah Lingle, other close family members, Trish (Rozell) and Tom Chaloux, Kathy Parker, Alyson Buckner Wells, and sister-in-law Jeanette (Smith) Rayburn.

Alice was born February 26, 1943, at Ft Bragg, NC, where her father, Horace Ogle "Buster" was stationed in WWII. She lived her childhood and young adult life in Alcoa, Tennessee.

Alice graduated from Tennessee Technical University with a degree in Education and later obtained her Master's degree in Social Services from the University of Tennessee. She worked in Anderson County schools as a high school guidance counselor until her retirement in 2005.

Alice loved life and always had a positive outlook even in the worst times - multiple pregnancy losses,

a premature delivery of daughter, Carole Beth, a Juvenile Diabetic who had a pancreas and kidney transplant, then developed sepsis 3 years later and passed away at 36 years of age; and got a Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis in 1991, just 2 years after she and Bill were married. Alice fought through grief and pain, keeping her dry wit and spirit of adventure until the end. Of Carole Beth's passing, she said,"At least I enjoyed her for 36 years."

She married William "Bill" Connell on July 22, 1989. Bill has two daughters close in age to Carole Beth, Jennifer Lingle, and Kristin Connell, which was great for Alice and Carole Beth, and gave her the family she had always desired. Jennifer also gave them a granddaughter, Sarah.

Alice loved traveling around town and around the world. She traveled with her parents and with her husband by plane, train, bus, and automobile, but never by bicycle, which was Bill's much-loved hobby. She loved getaway weekends with her best friends from college- Kay Sherrill, Sandra Mouron, and Libby Kittrell. She's kept in touch with them, and Kay has been generous with keeping Alice in her favorite spot- the mani/pedi salon. No matter where she traveled, she made friends and had wonderful stories to tell of her adventures, but she most loved trips to the Smokey Mountains - home to her family roots and the most beautiful place on Earth.

Alice never let the MS control her life. She was walking with a cane or walker, driving her car, and taking care of Bill until 2016 when Bill entered an Assisted living facility and then in 2020 when he transferred into long term care. 2020 was when Alice's health decline started also. Alice began losing her balance and suffered several fall related injuries. During a trip to Florida we discovered she was having episodes of A-Fib that was contributing to her falls. She also had several small incidents of TIA/ mini-strokes.

In May and August 2024 Alice had a major cerebral artery hemorrhage and it affected her ability to balance for standing, walking and sitting, as well as her cognition, speech and ability to read, and she was an avid reader. Even in that mental state she was happy, content, and believed she was still teaching/ counseling her students, enjoying visits and outings with her Mom, Dad and brother. She was living in a time prior to Carole Beth's birth and marriage to Bill.

She was a long time member of Memorial United Methodist Church in Clinton, Tennessee, and had many friends and neighbors there. Alice requested no services at her passing, only that family, friends, former students, and neighbors remember her with laughter and kindness.

Alice loved children and cats. It broke her heart to surrender her three cats, JoJo, Nikki and Pinocchio because she could no longer care for them. Any memorial remembrance should be made to St. Jude's Research Hospital or Anderson County No Kill Rescue Shelter.

Alice will be laid to rest next to Carole Beth in Grandview Memorial Garden, Clinton, Tennessee, through Holley Gamble Funeral Home.