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In Loving Memory. Esther ‘Alene’ Grice
Esther “Afene” Grice was bom
Aug. 30, 1923, to Henry and Patsy
Bills in DeKalb, Texas. She departed
this earth for her heavenly home on
March 30,2010, capping a rich and
beautiful journey.
The youngest of three sisters,
Alene was always referred to by
family as “Baby Sister.” Because
her mother died giving birth to her
only brother, Henry, she and her
sisters were raised by their aunt and
uncle, Lecci and Elbert Graves.
During the Great Depression, the
family moved north to Chicago
where she completed her elemen­
tary and high school education and
where she met her husband, Leroy
“Chappie” Grice of Portland, who at
that time was in the U.S. Army. They
were married and she gave birth to
her first child, Lynda, in Chicago.
After Chappie was honorably dis­
charged from the military, the family
moved to Portland and established
a home on North Benton Street
where Memorial Coliseum now sits.
Her second child, Michael, was
Here, she joined her sisters, Marga­ bom in that same year. Her third and
ret and Helen and their families, who last child, Asaad Ali, bom as Mark
had also moved to Portland.
Steven, came into the family in 1958.
Alene was Portland’s first Afri­ By that time, she was solidly em ­
can American elevator operator ployed for Joseph's Plastics as a
shipping clerk and later served
as an employment specialist for
the Urban League, and then, the
city of Portland during the Model
Cities era in the 1960s and 1970s.
She is credited for helping place
many o f Portland’s African-
American young people in their
first “career” jobs.
She was an active person and
belonged to St. M onica’s Guild
of St. Philip the Deacon Episco­
pal Church. Although she could
thanks to the good work of the famed not finish college, she highly v a l-.
Urban League Director Bill Berry in ued education, was an avid reader
1948. Portland was very prejudiced of novels, and enjoyed her volun­
at that time, but she weathered all teer years at Beach Elementary.
that because she and her husband
The balance of her retirement was
wanted “a better life” for their chil­ divided between her social and ser­
dren.
vice club, the Social Odd Balls, and
Life Celebrated'. Alice Paul
Funeral services for Alice Paul, a
colorful and outspoken homemaker
who died of natural causes on
March 21,2010 at the age of 98, were
held March 30 at Bethel AME
Church.
She was bom Oct. 31, 1911 in
Franklin, La., the seventh of eight
ch ild ren to H enry and M illie
(Dapamore) Barabin.
She was educated in the Louisi­
ana public school system where she
completed high school and later
took some businesses courses. In
1940 she married her first and only At her birth, William Taft was presi­
love, Royal Joseph Paul, who worked dent; at her death, Barack Obama
for Union Pacific Railroad and was the first black president, his­
through his job had come to know tory that she was proud to have
Portland, where they would relo­ lived to see.
cate in 1945. He died in 1985.
Living more than 25 years after
At a very young age, Alice gave her husband, she maintained an in­
her life to Christ. She was an active, dependent life style with a love of
loyal and faithful member of Bethel music and traveling, but mostly re­
for 65 years, a congregation where laxing and watching her favorite
she built lifelong friendships and television shows.
found a place of refuge; a place to
She leaves to celebrate her life,
display her love for fashion (ear hertwochildren, Royal and Audrey;
bobs, gloves and hats); and a place a grandson, Imil Centred Wheeler
where she could nourish her love of and a paternal great granddaughter,
traditional hymns.
N ’dea W heeler of New Jersey; by
As a “homemaker” she managed union; four grandchildren Darrien,
the daily tasks of providing a loving Idris, Ayanna (Talton) Defrees, and
home for her husband and children, Kimani Talton; 12 great grandchil­
Royal Vincent Paul and Audrey Jean dren; and a host of nieces, neph­
Paul Talton. As a business savvy ews, and other relatives and friends
woman, she operated her father’s in Louisiana, Texas and Arizona.
grocery store with her sister, Helen,
She was predeceased by her
while growing up in Louisiana. She husband; a son and daughter, both
a lso tire le s s ly su p p o rte d h er of whom departed this life as in­
husband’s efforts to establish and fants; six brothers, Henry, Albert,
launch Paul Janitorial Service in the Walter, Samuel, Sutherland, and
mid- 1960s, and where she handled Buster, and her sister, Helen.
the bookkeeping. The company
Spirited and tenacious until the
was one of the first black-owned end, she leaves a legacy that repre­
businesses in the state of Oregon. sents two of the most influential
Her grandkids always put a smile entities in this country, a strong
on her face; she dearly loved her C h ristian , and a strong black
family and prayed for them always. woman!
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her grandchildren that she loved so
dearly. She. loved her husband and
cherished the moments with her fam­
ily. She was always known for her
sumptuous cooking and holiday
meals; and always found her home
a gathering place for friends and
family. She and Chappie enjoyed
Jazz and traveled each year to the
Monterey Jazz festival, until he
passed away in 1980.
Alene Grice will long be remem­
bered for her loving ways, efferves­
cent personality, and especially su­
perb fried chicken. She is survived
by her children, Lynda, Michael and
A saad; her d a u g h te rs-in -la w ,
Gwendolyn and Amina; her grand­
children, Traci Lynn (Mike), Toi
Alletash (Kevin), Joi Alene (Harvey),
Taj A m ir, R afi K han, and
Muhammad; her great-grandchil­
dren, Cole, Cameron, Maija and Alek;
and a host o f nieces, nephews,
friends, colleagues, and d istin ­
guished citizens.
Portland O bserver
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Happy
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We love you, and
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Love, your family
p re s e n ts
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