Alice Raines

Alice Raines (née Fox) of Hemet, California, passed away peacefully in her home on October 1, 2024, after a second battle with Covid.

Alice was raised in the lovely Park Slope section of Brooklyn, New York. Her mother was a dedicated teacher and high school librarian and her father, an English scholar turned attorney, instilled in her a lifelong love of learning and resilience. Her father, a law school graduate who supported his education as a subway driver during the Depression, worked as an attorney with the New York City Transit Authority. During her school years, Alice applied herself to her studies and was well-liked by the nuns who taught at each of her schools. She attended St. Francis Xavier Grammar School, St. Angela Hall Academy, and the College of St. Rose in Albany, New York. Years later she earned her degree at Glendale College, in Glendale, California. 

Some of Alice’s fondest memories took place on the sunny, peaceful shores of Lake Champlain, where her family summered in a comfortable lakefront cabin referred to in the area as a “camp”. She was a confident swimmer and thoroughly enjoyed out-swimming the gang of friends as well as palling around on hikes and camp parties. 

Alice adored the beach and being near the water. Eager to leave the “dark, gray” buildings and the “cloudy” winter skies of Brooklyn behind, she, at 23, left family and friends and sailed to Hawaii to begin a new life. She loved to describe the moment she sailed into Honolulu past the Aloha Tower and drank in the island air. She found her first apartment with three young women in Waikiki, marking the beginning of a new life and career. She met her first husband Jack and although the marriage wasn’t compatible it brought her a beloved son, Kenneth.

She returned to Brooklyn and lived with her parents until they passed but with the support of her sister, Rosemary, Alice was able to balance single parenting with full time work. She was even able to satisfy her undiminished love of travel by planning a dream trip-a two week tour of Europe. Eventually, she met her second husband Lorenzo and together they moved to Los Angeles and welcomed their baby daughter, Audra. 

Alice continued to work full time while she and Lorenzo devoted many weekends to making small but steady improvements to the family home. Alice made a point to instill in her children both a love of books as well as an understanding of right from wrong. Alice reminded the children often how much she loved them. Despite the stretch on the family budget, she put Ken and Audra’s education first, insisting on private schools and encouraging them daily to set their sights on a college education. Alice had a deep-rooted passion for politics, volunteering in local organizations despite her busy schedule. She admired figures like Ronald Reagan and William F. Buckley, Jr., whose words and ideas filled her with inspiration.

In 1995, she and Lorenzo moved to Hemet where Lorenzo sadly passed in 1999. Four years later, Alice found love and companionship again with Bill, a long-time family friend. They married and together they enjoyed many cross-country road trips visiting family & friends. 

Alice’s bond with her sister, Rosemary, was a vital part of her life. Their connection was unshaken by distance and remained strong through the years, grounded in shared experiences and deep affection. In her later years, Alice’s spirit grew more graceful and serene. She devoted herself to daily prayers, holding each family member and the nation close to her heart.

Alice is survived by her loving husband, Willard “Bill” Raines; sister, Rosemary Fox McCamish of Newark, Ohio; son, Kenneth Raleigh Malcomson (Heidi) of Eureka, California; daughter, Audra Pommier Houston (Andrew) of Vancouver, Washington; nephew, Boyd McCamish (Tina); grandchildren Andrea, Kayleigh and Logan Malcomson, Candace and Maxwell Houston; great nephew, Liam and great niece, Erin; stepson, Thomas Raines (Connie); stepdaughter, Tammy Raines Maus; step-grandchildren Jordyn Raines, Kendra Black, Alanna Kartchner (Adam), Dalton Jansen, Winter Angel Griggs, and Wayne and Wesley Maus.

She was preceded in death by her father, Kenneth Fox, her mother, Alice Raleigh Fox, and her husbands Lorenzo Pommier and Jack Malcomson. 

A funeral service will be held at Forest Lawn Glendale, CA, at noon Saturday November 9, 2024. A reception will follow at 546 West Colorado St., Suite G, in Glendale at 1:30pm.