Alice Sizer Ludes

1912 - 2017

Alice Sizer Ludes

Ventura, CA

On February 12, 2017, Alice Sizer Ludes, age 104, passed away after a short illness.

Born on December 20, 1912, Alice was the last survivor of eight siblings from Tacoma, Washington. As a young child, she tagged along when her older sister went for piano lessons. When Alice came home, she played by ear what her sister had just learned at the music teacher's home! Her musical talents were discovered at an early age.

After she graduated from high school in January 1931 Alice tried several jobs but she really wanted to sing. Her mother spotted an ad in the Tacoma newspaper for a duo called the Williams Sisters who wanted to become a trio. Alice auditioned and got the job, singing the middle harmonies and doing the arrangements. They got an agent and were booked across the state and eventually the whole country, including Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Hollywood.

When they sang on a San Francisco radio program, Alice met a handsome young radio engineer named Edward Ludes who took a shine to her. In April, 1935, the Williams Sisters sang on Bing Crosby's radio show in Hollywood. Later she became a member of another group called The Music Maids. In 1939, this group was hired to sing with Bing Crosby on the Kraft Music Hall radio show, where they sang for five years with all the big stars of the day, including Mary Martin, Victor Borge and Bert Lahr. Meanwhile, she and Ed got married.

The Music Maids performed in a number of movies alongside such stars as Gene Autry, Dale Evans and, of course, Bing. Alice also did vocals for The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St. Louis, The Harvey Girls and several other musicals. As part of the Music Maids she was on camera again for Broadway Melody of 1940.

Over the years, her family became her main focus and she turned to oil painting and china painting as new hobbies. Always cheerful, creative and optimistic, Alice outlived her husband, Ed, by almost 30 years and also was the last of the Music Maids. She is survived by her three children, Rocky Ludes, Tad Ludes and Penny Alexander, three grandchildren, Jeff Ludes, Michael Ludes and Annie Ludes, and four great-grandchildren, Sophie, Madoka, Annabel and Ethan.

Her family wishes to thank the staff and nurses of Victoria Care Center and, recently, Assisted Hospice for their care.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, February 23, in the Fellowship Hall of Community Presbyterian Church, 1555 Poli St., Ventura.