Alice D. Merola, 83

Alice D. Merola, 83, passed away in Sandpoint, Idaho, on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008.

The vigil Rosary service will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 6, in Coffelt's Funeral Chapel.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, in the new Catholic Church located at Lincoln and Ontario streets in Sandpoint. Father Dennis C. Day will be officiating with interment following in Pinecrest Memorial Park.

Alice was born in Melville, Saskatchewan, Canada, on Sept. 29, 1925. She grew up in the area of Melville and Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada attending local schools. She served for two years with the Royal Canadian Air Force then earned her registered nursing degree from a Catholic School of Nursing in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada.

She moved to Oxnard and Santa Monica, Calif., working as a registered nurse.

On June 7, 1958 she married Simon Virgil Merola in Las Vegas, Nev. Following her marriage she lived in Japan for three years and then moved to Monterey, Calif., where she lived for 33 years. In 1996 she moved to Sandpoint to be closer to her Canadian family. She was known as a "domestic goddess."

She was a member of the Registered Nurses Association and St. Joseph's Catholic Church, taking communion for the home bound. Alice excelled in the knowledge of just about every subject historical, current events and modern history.

She is survived by her son, Anthony Dean Merola; three granddaughters, Renee Gil Merola, Courtney Gil Merola and Elisa Lopez; four sisters, Leora Leach, Obelene Young, Jean Quigley and Phyllis Brown; her brother Sylvio Blair.

She was preceded in death by her husband and a brother, Harvey Blair.

Family and friends are invited to sign Alice's online guest book at www.coffeltfuneral.com.

Arrangements are under the care of Coffelt Funeral Service.