1915
Alice
2014
Alice Louise (Starr) Brackenridge
July 14, 1915 — February 19, 2014
Alice Louise Brackenridge (nee Starr), died on February 19, 2014 at Marquis Center Vermont Hills in Portland. She died peacefully under the loving care of the dedicated staff at Marquis who had come to love her for her sense of humor and her boundless optimism in all things, great and small. When Alice reached her 98th birthday she looked forward with happiness to her 99th!
Alice was born on July 14, 1915 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, but traveled to Portland as a teenager with her family when her father relocated for work with the railroad.
Although Alice aspired in her youth to becoming a nurse, her career path instead led her to the famous "Hi-Flyer" Elevator operator team at Meier & Frank Department store, under the unyielding tutelage of Ms. "Aunt Mary" Mahoney. This professional group of proud, disciplined and uniformed women made the department store experience an unforgettable one. With their impeccable uniforms and white gloves, they ushered the elevator-riding clientele into the bank of Art Deco elevators at Meier & Frank's and snappily announced the litany of department choices while ascending the ten floors of the M&F building.
Few patrons of Meier & Frank's speak of that beloved store without mention of the magical elevator rides where operators did not simply press buttons to select a requested floor, but rather leveled the elevator cars by manipulating a tricky wheel device. Alliances formed among the cadre of operators were long-lasting and cherished and were renewed with annual get-togethers and lunches, the last of which was held on May 20, 2000 and was attended by three women. Many of the friendships thus formed lasted a lifetime, whereas the elevators were phased out in 1950.
In 1937 Alice married the love of her life, Winfield S. Brackenridge, known to those who knew and loved him as "Bud." Bud and Alice mutually "discovered" one another via the elevators at M&F, as did others in their circle of friends. They lived their married life in a cherished home in the Hollywood District of Portland. After working at M&F, Bud was employed by United Radio and died of heart failure in 1974, leaving Alice much sooner than either of them would have wished.
Alice, typical of so many women of her generation, kept a beautiful home, a meticulous yard and gardens and pursued her passion for sewing throughout her long life. After Bud's death she relied on her resourcefulness and established her own business,
"Modiste,"
as a seamstress. Through her beautiful workmanship and keen appreciation for beautiful fabrics and challenging new projects, she attracted a large group of dedicated, grateful and impeccably tailored clients. One of the many projects she undertook was the stitching of cheerleading squad uniforms for one of Portland's high schools. Alice beautifully outfitted numerous wedding parties and fashioned countless beautiful items for her discerning clientele.
Throughout her life Alice also was a member of several "sewing clubs," groups of women affiliated through common interests, including not only sewing, but the sharing of recipes, life experience and lovingly served meals. Many of her alliances also extended to respective spouses, and larger group get-togethers were common. Through her nineties, Alice got together with an ever-dwindling group of loving friends. Wherever Alice went, and regardless of her circumstances, she always had a ready laugh and a fresh and humorous insight regarding her situation. People loved her and her indomitable sense of humor and one's day was infinitely enriched if brightened by her inimitable laugh.
Alice was preceded in death by her sister, Thelma Brock in 2011, also of Portland. Her loving friends Marjie and Rod Sandoz, who unexpectedly benefited from her boundless love in the latter years of her life served "above and beyond" in "all things Alice," and relished her company and humor. They reside in Portland and mourn her loss deeply. The gratitude which flows to them from Minnesota knows no limits, where Alice leaves behind her loving and constant "buttonhole" daughter, Joanne Rogoff, and her husband, Jonathan, and family of both Stillwater and points beyond. Alice will be forever and keenly missed.
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