Alice K. Morse

Alice Kilpatrick Morse of West Hartford, CT passed away on Thursday, June 19, 2014 at the University of Connecticut Medical Center in Farmington, CT following a brief illness. She was 96 years old. Alice was born in Rochester, NY on March 3, 1918 to the late Olive and John Kilpatrick. She graduated from Glens Falls High School in NY and subsequently studied voice at Julliard School of Music in Manhattan, NY. She married the late Nathaniel B. Morse on September 7, 1939 in New York. Together they moved to Connecticut where Mr. Morse began his career in Labor Relations at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, now United Technologies Corporation. Alice had many interests which she pursued as she raised her family in Farmington, Avon and then West Hartford, CT. Her love of music was central to her life. She was the guest soloist at The First Church of Christ Congregational in Farmington, CT and a performing member of the Simsbury Light Opera House ensemble where she played Katisha in The Mikado. She was also a Girl Scout troop leader in Farmington and later a library volunteer at Braeburn Elementary School in West Hartford. Learning golf as a teenager from her Scottish father, she played the game with passion until she was in her late 80’s even scoring a ‘hole in one’ her family still celebrates. Other sports figured in her life such as bowling, paddle tennis and tennis as she pursued an active physical life to balance her many hours of listening to music, reading or playing duplicate bridge with a dedicated group of friends. Alice was a woman whose rich life was characterized by enduring independence. When not with family, hobbies filled her days including sewing, knitting and most notably fine needlepoint. Charmingly competitive, she did the Sunday New York Times cross word puzzle every week leaving an unfinished one on her table days before her death. In that same spirit, one of Alice’s great pleasures was playing board games with her family always making certain to build a winning team with smart grandchildren. At mid life an investment Club, and years later both a Garden Club and a Reading Group kept her mind sharp and her community of friends fresh. Alice is survived by 4 children: Susan E. Campion of Rye, NY; Barbara L. Morse of Acton, MA; William S. Morse of Farmington, CT; and Christine E. Olwell of Randolph, NJ. and a sister Ellen K. Cone of Sarasota, FLA. She is also survived by 7 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, 2 step grandchildren and 1 step great grandchild. A beloved grandson predeceased her. A private burial service will take place with immediate family on Saturday, June 28th at the Fairview Cemetery in West Hartford, CT. The Molloy Funeral Home in West Hartford is in charge of the arrangements. Later in the summer the family is planning a Memorial Service and Celebration of Life to take place in Farmington, CT. where Alice began her life as a young wife and mother. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that anyone wishing to remember Alice please feel free to donate to a charity of his or her choice or to The Wounded Warrior Project.