Sister Alice (Sister John Marie) Alter, RSHM died peacefully at Marymount Convent, Tarrytown, NY, on Thursday, December 26, 2024. She was 86 years of age and had been a member of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary for 64 years.
She was born in Brooklyn, NY, on July 7, 1938, to Louis W and Catherine McCormack Alter.
She received a BA from Marymount College, Tarrytown, NY, and an MA in Education from Fordham University, New York, NY. She was a member of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains.
After graduating from Marymount Secondary School, Tarrytown, NY, and attending Marymount College in Arlington, VA, she entered the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary at the RSHM Novitiate in Tarrytown, NY, on September 8, 1958. She made her first vows on June 29, 1960, in Butler Memorial Chapel, Marymount, Tarrytown, where she later made her final vows on June 29, 1965.
After making first vows, Sister Alice was assigned to teach at St. Catharine of Alexandria School, Brooklyn, NY (1960-1970). During this time, she began volunteering at local hospitals and nursing homes and encouraged her students to join her. She was assigned to St. Anne’s School, Garden City, NY, where she taught for six years (1970-1976), before returning to St. Catharine of Alexandria School, Brooklyn, NY (1976-1983).
Sister Alice served as the coordinator of Marymount Convent in Tarrytown, NY, where many of the retired sisters lived (1983-1986).
She also taught at Christ the King School in Yonkers, NY, and was the coordinator of student participation in the Archdiocese of New York ITV News and Views Program and the Archdiocesan Catholic Forensic League (1986-2000).
Sister Alice spent one year at Cormaria Retreat House, Sag Harbor, NY as a staff member (2000-2001). She returned to the classroom, teaching part-time at St. Rose of Lima School, Rockaway Beach, NY (2001-2004) and part-time at Christ the King School, Yonkers, NY (2002-2003).
In 2003, influenced by her experience of volunteering at hospitals and nursing homes during her first years of teaching, Sister Alice began a new ministry as a hospital chaplain. She was a pastoral counselor at Medical Center, Long Beach Hospital, Brooklyn, NY (2003-2006), Calvary Satellite in Lutheran Hospital, Brooklyn, NY (2004-2009), and Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY (2006-2009).
She retired to Marymount Convent, Tarrytown in 2009. She was a member of the Convent community at the time of her death.
Sister Alice is preceded in death by her parents, her sister Sister Mary Alter, RSHM, and brother Francis, niece Betty Anne and nephew Bill, Jr. She is survived by her brother William and her nieces Margaret, Marialice, Eileen, Judy, Diane, Cathy, Mary Lou, Maureen and nephews Thomas, Mark, Michael, Johnny and Peter, and by the members of her religious family.
Services are at Marymount Convent, 32 Warren Avenue, Tarrytown, NY. Visiting is on Sunday, January 5, 2025, from 4:00 – 7:00 pm with the Vigil Service at 7:00 pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, January 6, 2025, at 10:30 am. Burial at Mount Calvary Cemetery, White Plains to follow.
We invite you to join us for the Vigil Service and Mass at Marymount Convent by livestream on our website (www.rshm-east.org), where they will be archived.
In lieu of flowers, gifts in her name may be made to Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, 50 Wilson Park Drive, Tarrytown, NY, 10591.
I knew Sr Alice from St Catherine ‘s in Brooklyn. I hired her to work in my school, St Rose of Lima in Rockaway Beach as librarian. She was loyal, patient, and dedicated to her job and her children. She was such a joy to have her on staff. I will miss her dearly.
Alice is to be remembered for the time she gave to every opportunity that came her way. We personal friends for 60 years. She taught some of my children. Alice was loved by so many. She will be missed. God Bless Alice. Rest in peace.
Marie Gammichia and family
I had Sr. Alice (Madam John Marie) in the fifth grade at St. Catharine of Alexandria School in Brooklyn. She was a true blessing. The sisters were a great source of my vocation as a Franciscan priest and I will remember her and my dear friend Sr. Sally Murphy at Mass. God bless all of the sisters.