Alice Faye Garris Kulmayer, 77, passed away at her home in Williamsburg, Virginia on October 6, 2016, after a long struggle with dementia.
Born and reared in Lake View, South Carolina, she was the daughter of the late Carl Johnson Garris and Hortense Page Garris. She was preceded in death by her husband Colonel (U.S. Army Retired) Joseph L. Kulmayer; and brothers Randy Garris and Colonel (U.S. Army Retired) Jack Garris.
Alice Faye graduated from Coker College in Hartsville, South Carolina, and later earned a Master of Science in Education from Troy State University, Alabama. She began a career as an English teacher in her hometown while her husband was deployed to Vietnam and later earned teacher certificates from the States of South Carolina, Alabama, Kansas, Florida, and the Commonwealth of Virginia, from which she retired after a decade (1990-2000) at Walsingham Academy in Williamsburg.
An Army wife for 30 years, Alice Faye gave unfailing support to her children, her husband’s career, and the military communities where they served. She was a hospital volunteer at Ft. Jackson, Ft. Benning, and Ft. Knox. She was Director of the U.S. Army Community Services Program and Editor of the Officers’ Wives’ Club magazine at Ft. Rucker. She later volunteered as a Den Mother, Advisor, and Merit Badge Counselor for the Boy Scouts of America.
She was a world traveler and visited some 30 countries on four continents. She moved 23 times in her life before she and her husband settled in the Kingsmill Community of Williamsburg for the last 29 years. She loved gardening and enjoyed many hours working in her yard.
Alice Faye is survived by her sons Joseph, Jr. (Sian), a mathematics teacher in Sandown, England, and Jeffrey (Didem), a retiring Army Colonel; eight grandchildren; Allyson, Gareth, Christopher, Dylan, Trevor, Tegan, Rhiannon, and Rhys; her brothers Carl Garris, Jr., of Irmo, South Carolina, Steve (Janice) Garris of Lake View, South Carolina; sister, Hilda (Skeet) Stephens of Dillon, South Carolina; and sister-in-law Myrna Garris of Dillon, South Carolina.
She will be laid to rest with her husband in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, at a date to be determined.
Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.nelsencares.com.
