Alice Irene Sly was my great aunt. She was the daughter of Lucy Long, born in 1910, and was unofficially adopted by Sanford Sly when he and Lucy married in 1913. I didn’t know about this right away. One time, while visiting my mom’s half-sister, she said to me in a semi-hushed tone “you know she’s not Sanford’s, right?” I looked around. First of all, it was just me and my mom there, no one else was around to hear. Secondly, all of the people in this story had died a very long time ago. The last one was Lucy who died in 1980. Why all the whispering? (But I digress.)

Alice contracted tuberculosis at some point. I haven’t been able to figure out exactly when this might have happened. But Sanford, Lucy, Alice, and their son Bill, moved to Buckeye, Arizona, for the benefit of her health. By following them in the Bowling Green, Ohio, city directories, I can tell that they moved sometime between 1934 and 1935. Alice died on 23 August 1938 in Tucson. Her death certificate states that she had been in the state for four years at the time of her death.

Alice met Cleveland Charles Bierman (commonly went by C.C.), also a patient at the hospital in Tucson. They married on 22 August 1936. They did not have any children and she died almost exactly 2 years later.

When Alice died, it was during the Depression. I am not certain what Sanford’s financial situation was, but Alice did not get a tombstone on her grave. I know she was a beloved child so I imagine the cost must have been a challenge for them. This spring, with the help of my mom, we got a tombstone ordered for her. It is set to be installed by October and as soon as it is, I’ll get a photo and will share it.

Even though she is not a direct line ancestor, I have adopted her and research more about her from time to time since she had no descendants who are “looking” for her.