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BORN
1941
DIED
2024
Alice Brock Obituary
Alice was the furthest thing from a statistic, so none here. If you want facts, Google her... since she's a "famous person". Not by personal choice, and through a bizarre series of circumstances, she became a touchstone and icon for thousands, over multiple generations. There's that amazing song, there's a movie, there are personal stories shared by individuals everywhere. If you knew her, or even just knew about her, you understand what we're talking about.
Alice was an artist. In every sense of the word. She consumed life voraciously (just the way she read books) and gave back to countless people with a rush of richness. Her own creative gifts were abundant and remarkable. Countless paintings and drawings, several published books and her famous, whimsical painted rocks, placed by the hundreds all over the globe on beaches and roadways, in museums and on mountain tops. A sublime alchemist, she reveled in creating improbable and magnificent combinations from the most improbable and unlikely of sources.
She was a legendary cook/chef whose passion was feeding people. She had restaurants, of course, and was the toughest boss imaginable, but those who survived walked away fuller and more confident people. Perhaps her greatest gift was her ability to bring out the very best and the very unexpected in the people and things around her.
Her generosity to anyone in need often left her in precarious financial position. Several years ago in her beloved Provincetown, MA, friends ran a Go Fund Me for her. This comment on the site says it all: "Years ago Alice gave me a job for which I was completely unqualified. I worked my ass off. She yelled at me all summer long. It was the best job of my life. Here's $25."
Alice is survived by her chosen family of friends, many of whom have remained close since the 1960's. So how to honor her? It begs the question: what would Alice do? Ponder something beautiful offered by nature; lose yourself in a painting; listen to some meaningful music; savor a good meal. Or, importantly, just reach out - as she would say - to a fellow human 'bean'.
Please consider supporting The Lily House in Wellfleet, MA. www.thelilyhouse.org The people there are angels on earth.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Alice Brock
Sponsored by The Berkshire Eagle.
Miriam Talisman
April 28, 2025
I knew Alice many many years ago, when we both were about 8 year old and played on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn. I wrote to her and we reminisced briefly about happy time in Brooklyn
Miriam Gordon Talisman
April 28, 2025
I knew Alice a long long time ago, when we both were 8 or 9 year Olds, playing on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn. I wrote to her about
ten years ago and we reminisced a bit about Brooklyn years and years ago. Sweet memories.
Miriam Gordon Talisman
Michael Loomis
January 7, 2025
Two great memories of Alice. Every now and then she would come and cook for us at Lenox School for Boys. I remember her food was always way better than our usual fare. When she owned the Avalon she held a party during the holidays and Shenandoah would play. It was a highlight of coming home from college. We all miss you Alice.
Dennis Gargan
December 3, 2024
RIP SWEET LADY
Angel and Alex
December 3, 2024
Rest in Power dear Alice.
Steven Mann, Hudson, NY
December 1, 2024
Another legend passes on. May her memory be for a blessing.
RB
December 1, 2024
She was made famous by a song about her and her restaurant, but she was much then that. A great personality, a giving spirit, creative. All of that will be missed. Heartfelt condolences to the Brock family. So very sorry for your loss, May God be with you all.
Reeb Zee
November 29, 2024
Alice movie was the greatest of the era.
When we went to get our induction doctor visit
we were put in GROUP W.
No S.E. Asia for our senior high skool trip in 1970
courtesy of RM Nixxon.
R.I.P. Alice!
Eileen Duffy Traslavina
November 29, 2024
I was gifted her cookbook as a 19 year old college student and she became my muse in cooking and feeding people over a life time. Thank you Alice
Theresa Minnick
November 28, 2024
My husband & I started the "tradition" LONG ago (50 years) of listening to Arlo's "Alice's Restaurant" while we prepared our Thanksgiving Day meal (music has always been a huge part of our life even though we ourselves had NO musical talents). Anyway, to this day, our "kids" are LONG moved out of our home, but we text each other reminders on Thanksgiving day to listen to Arlo's tale / song. This year I read the articles about Alice Brock ... and what an amazing spirit. The world is a place of love & wonder only because if souls like hers Deepest condolences to her friends / family.
JoAnn Tschaen
November 27, 2024
Upon reading an ad in "The Mother Earth News', for help in the "Harvest", & an invitation to "camp out on the land", on a farm in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, a few friends & I bought an old school bus, & traveled to Alice's farm! We worked hard on her farm, & were treated every day to her fabulous communal dinners, all with her amazing recipes! She was then a media "darling", & Arlo was there, playing his guitar on her front porch, while helicopters were hovering overhead, & there were cases of champagne being delivered! After losing touch for many years, I saw her hand-painted rocks at a local fundraiser for animal welfare, & bought several of them. I then reached out to Alice in Provincetown, & we began a renewed friendship that lasted until she left us! I have several of her original prints now, along with a few copies of her (out of print), cookbook, & dinner plates from her first restaurant! Not long ago, my friend & I went to visit her, & took her to a dentist appointment, after having a great lunch with her! I always said to her, that her "feisty" spirit, & incredible sense of humor, would sustain her,& I'm sure that it did! RIP, Alice
Bob Sears
November 27, 2024
Well, another part of my youth has faded, fading into a rapidly closing life story.
I, unknowingly at the time, was down in Lee and Housatoic the very day of Alice, Ray,Arlo and the group had their famous Thanksgiving dinner and subsequent garbage incident. Later on, my brother in law had a brief spot in the movie as the tongue tied announcer. Loved it all, loved Alice, and still today listen to Arlos "Hobos Lullaby album.
Alice was a rare gem, a now gone treasure and will be missed. God bless her!
Shelley
November 27, 2024
Every year for the last multiple decades, our family, thanks to my husband's encouragement, on Thanksgiving would search the radio stations until we heard Alice's Restaurant. We would listen and sing along, as we were driving to get to our Thanksgiving get together or hosting it in our home. Our children learned at an early age the melody and words and the emotional high we all got as we relived that day it was released. Thank you, Alice, for inspiring Arlo to create that awesome song!!!!!
Larry and Shelley and the whole family
Steve Wilson
November 26, 2024
One of the most interesting people I ever met. Just a character. My wife Barbara and I went to her house in Cape Cod and spent about 2 hours talking to her. Bought a couple of her paintings. She was funny. We talked about people we knew, art, music, fame, food, and all kinds of stuff.
Rick Connor
November 26, 2024
Best summer of my life (1977), dear Alice. Many thanks for the wisdom, the recipes, the grit, the lessons, the memories.
Frank Pelkey
November 26, 2024
Smart , Kind , Generous
Tina Newton
November 26, 2024
What a beautifully written obit. My heartfelt condolences go out to her friends, family, and those who knew the beloved song. RIP Beautiful Soul.
Tina Newton
John A. Bernardo Esq
November 26, 2024
My condolences to family / extended family. May the fond and loving memories be a comfort and always be with you.
Juli Savettiere & Kate Connolly
November 26, 2024
I am crushed that my beloved Alice has died. Mine and countless others. The gift of spending time with Alice meant you were the most important person in her life in that moment. Or at least that's how she made you feel.
The miracle of our first ever two-week vacation was somehow staying in the lower level of her bay-front, Provincetown home after a friend of a friend recommended "this rental". My wife and I, our two girls, and Alice fell in love with each other. She brought her cocktail downstairs each day, and we ate most dinners together. She cooked with us. She cooked FOR us - unequivocally, the best food I have every eaten. I can instantly conjure her homemade onion and tomato pie, and glazed ham - my GOD her glaze - as if I ate them tonight. We told our stories, we laughed, we played games, and we sat for hours watching and listening to the lapping blue water with its fabulous, moored boats adding pops of color across the harbor. Our decks were staggered so we could easily see and talk with each other outside our respective floors. We spent a crystal clear, enchanted 4th of July watching fireworks over the harbor, she cuddling her scared pup, Amy, on her deck as we did the same below with ours. As we listened to our girls' squealing laughter with new vacation friends on the sand below, I very consciously realized I was experiencing a perfect moment.
Alice´s lower level rental always booked for the entire summer and our hearts were breaking as our exit day loomed. A ringing telephone sent Alice into her house followed by quick footsteps down the stairs. The next tenant had cancelled. When it's that perfect, you find the money (at a discount, of course), you get your company´s permission to "work-from-deck" and stay for another week. The gift, the blessing of another week with Alice.
Gay marriage had just passed in Massachusetts and we decided to become a part of it. Even though we knew it meant nothing once we crossed the Massachusetts boarder, the joy was insurmountable. Alice stood by us when we married and, several months later, celebrated Thanksgiving with us in our NJ home. For three glorious days we talked, laughed, cooked, laughed, played games, snuggled, laughed and laughed, and listened to Alice spin her yarns - one brilliant tale after another. All true. I will never forget her rubbing my back as we listened to her annual, Thanksgiving radio interview, playing on stations across the country. It was the best Thanksgiving of my life.
I've never before pictured the welcoming of newbies to heaven. But tonight I see a tie-dyed carpet - flanked by men taken by AIDS. I see people cast aside by families - setting the table. I see downtrodden folks given jobs in her restaurants and living in her home - preparing Thanksgiving dinner. I see old friends and those taken too soon - joyfully weeping as one of their heroes comes home.
Alice Brock was a champion for the forgotten, the judged, the mistreated, the marginalized. If you were one, you were completely safe and loved in her company. Her compassion, kindness, and generosity were blinding. She would go into debt because she could not tolerate others in need. Newspapers across the country are posting her obituary. What an amazing character, what an incredible life!! We were in the company of greatness, but all I knew was how much I adored her.
Alice's answering machine message: "Hello. You have reached Break Wind By The Bay; the home of the FABulous Alice Brock."
Amen.
David Udewitz
November 25, 2024
May you be forever blessed knowing how much your presence has made to those who cherish freedom of choice !
Martha Vaughan
November 25, 2024
When I was living in Provincetown 1971, my roommate gave me her cookbook. It remains my favorite. I am so glad that she was able to spend many wonderful decades in Provincetown and was so loved.
Lee Everett
November 25, 2024
Met Alice and Arlo at the Music Inn in 1969 when she was going to put a restaurant there, but the town put a kabash on it. I had the honor of designing her logo for her last two restaurants ´Take Out Alice´ and `Alice´s at Avaloch´. She was a creative force of nature and loved by many of us. Along with Jerry Martin we formed the `Left Handed Dyslexic Pisces Artists Club´. Alice´s humor and presence will be missed, but her spirit will alway live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her. Lee Everett
Melissa Falen
November 25, 2024
I met Alice maybe 10 years ago when she gave a talk in Provincetown library. She still had her kiosk on the pier. Shortly afterwards, I visited her at home to purchase some of her painted rocks. We had a nice chat and I so enjoyed it, I asked if I might keep in touch and visit her again. She said yes, and thereafter, I often visited her when I was in town, bringing something sweet to eat. She made a mean cup of coffee....and special cookies. She so loved the little cactus I brought her on one visit, and named it "Spike." She wasn't fond of having her picture taken, but she indulged me this one.
Dave Guthrie
November 23, 2024
Thank you Alice for inspiring people with your life.
Jim Hall
November 23, 2024
I worked for Alice as a dishwasher and cook at her second restaurant. She could be a demanding boss but there was always just enough edgy humor to leaven her intensity. She would walk through the kitchen yelling "harder, faster!", cracking herself and us up. Becca would sing out "hey pretty mama, I need a veal piccata!" We loved her and she loved us back. She was ferocious ... in the best sense.
Darlene Kuzon-Millman
November 23, 2024
I lived in Detroit and a friend sent me the local paper in Ma. Alice was running and add for help for the new place she was going to open. I called her and sent her a letter as to why I wanted to work for her. And I was hired. She was the reason I have came here and have been here for the last 44 years. The stories I could tell.. Miss you Alice
Sunny Redmond
November 22, 2024
I went to her second resturant with Jim Jacobs and she came over to the table to say hi. I loved her sign of the heart with flames and I said so. She snorted and said "Heart Burn" and walked away. . .
Bill Picha
November 22, 2024
Very sad today to learn Alice May Brock has left this world. She enriched the culture and a generation of Guthrie´s, too, with her wit, art, and the food that people still talk about from her different restaurants. The beach stones were as unique as she was and the only thing better than finding one to buy is finding one on a beach walk!
RIP dear woman.
Rose Cappadona
November 22, 2024
What a beautiful obit
My sister worked for Alice in the 70s until she passed away but adored her
The stories are legendary
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