Alice C. Smurthwaite

Alice C. Smurthwaite, 93, of Downingtown, PA and formerly of Malvern, PA passed away February 19, 2023. She was born in Columbus, GA on November 22, 1929 to the late Walter Isaac and Alice Marshall Cooper. Alice was the loving and devoted wife and high school sweetheart to the late William J. Smurthwaite, with whom she shared almost 60 years of marriage. She was a member of the Charlestown United Methodist Church in Charlestown Township.

Alice is survived by her four beloved children, A. Marie “Ree” Smurthwaite and her partner, Laura Barrall; William James Smurthwaite, Jr. and his wife, Stephanie; Anna Smurthwaite; John Smurthwaite and his wife, Leslie; Barbara Huganir, whom Alice cherished like a sister; and her three grandchildren, Bryan Smurthwaite, Erik Smurthwaite, and Victoria Smurthwaite.

Prior to her retirement, Alice was a beloved member of the Charlestown Elementary School community, where she nurtured and cared for many students over the years.

When Alice moved to Pennsylvania, she retained her Southern standards for hospitality and generosity and will be fondly remembered for her warmth, endless patience, and merry sense of humor. She was an avid reader, enjoyed growing flowers, and collected whimsical images of cows as a remembrance of her happy childhood years living on dairy farms.

Relatives and friends are invited to Alice’s Life Celebration on Monday, February 27, 2023 at 10:00 AM at the Mauger Givnish Funeral Home, 24 Monument Avenue, Malvern, PA, where friends may visit from 9:30-10:00 AM. Interment will follow at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 101 Worthington Road, Exton, PA.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Alice’s memory to Autism Speaks 1060 State Road, Second Floor, Princeton, NJ 08540 (autismspeaks.org).