Alice Textor

Alice Textor

April 20, 1950-November 10, 2024

              Alice’s twelve-year battle with cancer ended early Sunday morning, November 10. She fought bravely and courageously, and she lived every day to the fullest.
              Alice Marie Textor was born in Toledo, Ohio on April 20, 1950, to Carl and Lillian Textor. Number five of seven children, Alice spent her childhood in San Diego and West Seattle. Sports were always a huge part of her life, beginning as a youngster playing softball at Sunset Park, followed by varsity tennis in high school at Evergreen High School. After high school, Alice excelled at varsity tennis and varsity basketball at Western Washington University and was the starting guard on the first women’s basketball team to advance to the national tournament in New York. Her teammates from Western have remained her lifelong friends.
              After graduating from Western, Alice went to work on her Master’s degree at the University of Arizona where she became a grad assistant coach for the U of A women’s basketball team. Upon earning her Master’s degree, Alice’s coaching career took off. She served as head women’s basketball coach at Northern Illinois University for several years, before returning to the west coast as head basketball coach at Cal State Dominguez Hills for several more years. Eventually, the high stress life of a University coach led her to want to slow things down. Her next move was to buy forty acres in Northern California and live off the land. To help pay the bills, Alice took a job at nearby Laytonville High School, where she taught Spanish and (of course), ended up coaching the girls’ basketball team!
              Alice’s final career move was to Folsom Community College, near Sacramento, where she oversaw the creation of the student leadership and government program and taught PE classes. She retired in 2012.
              In retirement, Alice became an avid and highly regarded pickleball player, playing in numerous tournaments, including one with brother Mark as her partner, and one with sister Phyllis. Golf became a favorite pasttime as well. As with many retirees, Alice was hit by the travel bug. Her travels took her to Europe, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, all over the Southwest USA, Alaska, Canada, and Mexico. Alice and her wife Susan bought a home in San Felipe Mexico, where they wintered every year until Alice’s passing. The loving community of women and pickleball pals in San Felipe were a huge part of Alice’s life. Both Alice and Susan were avid birders and planned many of their trips around their birding passion.
              Alice’s diagnosis came shortly after her retirement, so she and Susan did all this traveling and living and snow birding in between cancer treatments. Alice’s optimism and joy of life kept her going and fighting until only a month ago, when she and her fabulous oncologist, Dr Kiarash Kojouri, made the decision together that the fight was over. Alice passed at their summertime abode, with her family and Susan at her side.
              Alice is survived by her wife Susan Nichols, her sister Phyllis Textor (Cindy Arnold); her brother Mark Textor (Darcy Vitulli), niece Justine Wagner (Chad), nephew John Textor (Stephanie), and great nieces and nephew Kendall, Payton, Russell and Blake. Stumpy the cat stayed with Alice until the end.
              Alice touched many lives throughout her life and career, and everyone’s outpouring of love was so appreciated. The family would like to thank the incredible staff at Skagit Regional Cancer Care Center, especially Dr Kojouri and RN Nancy Toth, who were both on Alice’s journey with her for twelve years. They would also like to thank Whatcom Hospice for their caring and gentle touch with Alice at the end of her life. A final, special thank you to dear friend Connie Labuhn of Phoenix, Arizona, who came to help and sat with Alice as she passed.
               In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Alice’s name to either Whatcom Hospice or Pacific Northwest Audubon Society. Since Alice didn’t really care for this rainy northwest winter weather, a celebration of life will be held this summer when the skies are blue, the breeze is warm, and the pickleball courts are dry and sunny.