Alice Lopez passed away peacefully on the 99th anniversary of her birthday, in Lompoc, California.

Alice was born in Tucson, Arizona to Alejandro Bravo and Anna Marie Loher and lived in Tucson with her grandmother Francesca Loher.

In 1932 when she was eight years old, her mother moved her along with her brother Alexander Bravo to Santa Barbara, California.

There she attended Lincoln School, Santa Barbara Junior High and graduated from Santa Barbara High School in 1943.

She married Savino V. Lopez in 1944. The family moved to Lompoc in 1955. She was a waitress for eighteen years, including working at the Lompoc Valley Bowl,  but developed physical problems. Her husband and children then encouraged her to continue her education as she had always wanted. She enrolled at Allen Hancock College and graduated with a Social Science degree. Through her volunteer work at the Food Distribution Center in Lompoc, Alice applied and was accepted to work for the Community Action Commission, the anti-poverty program that wanted to establish an office for the outreach program to serve our low-income population. She became the Program Director and in her seventh year became Director of six centers in Santa Barbara County (Lompoc, Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, Guadalupe, and Santa Maria). Her services in our community included not only outreach to low-income families and seniors but included sitting on various boards, among them community organizations, associations, and clubs. Among her services, she was involved in starting the local Head Start Program, working with the Lunch Bunch to get the program in the schools. She organized the Mothers Helping Club, Senior Center with Helen Reichert, Christmas Cheer (she and Angelina Reese developed a method of screening and distribution of baskets with Reverend Kenneth Boyd and Sandy Skinner).

Charlotte Benton represented Lompoc on the Community Action Commission for many years and always supported Alice's efforts in the community. Alice had always been proud that so many low-income people she aided still remember her when she met them in town.

In 1975, Alice left the Community Action program and was hired by the County to work at the Lompoc Municipal Court in Lompoc. She became the court clerk and remained there until she retired after 15 years. She was fluent in Spanish and was the first interpreter in Lompoc to be certified as a court interpreter. She also lent her interpreting services to many agencies, attorneys, and non-English speaking residents.

In 1960 Alice became a life-long Oakland Raiders fan after her brother Alex Bravo became one of the first Raider defensive players.  Alice was an avid crafter and became a quilter in 2002, which was her passion. She also loved to travel and was proud to have visited all fifty states, from the shores of Waikiki to the coast of Maine. She also traveled to Europe with her son Thomas and his wife Patty, visiting Germany, Holland, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France, and Belgium.

Alice was married 28 years to Savino V. Lopez, who precedes her in death. She bore six children: Frederick (Anne), daughter Frances (predeceased), Thomas (predeceased) (Patty), Alexander (Joan), Dennis (Jo, widowed), Karl (Joanie), plus had 13 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, many nephews, and nieces. Also, Alice is predeceased by her brothers Alex Bravo and Arthur Vera-Martinez and survived by her brother Joseph Vera-Martinez of St. Peters, Missouri.

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a bit of talent left and could say 'I used everything you gave me'. "" --- Erma Bombeck

Visitation will be held at the Lompoc Starbuck-Lind Mortuary, 123 North A Street, on Thursday February 22, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, with a 7:00 PM Praying the Rosary. Mass will be held on Friday February 23, at 10:00 AM at La Purisima Catholic Church, 213 West Olive Avenue. The burial will be held at the Lompoc Cemetery, 600 South C Street, after the Mass. A reception will be held following the burial service.

The family would like to thank Hospice VNA Health for their exceptional care and comfort provided in the last days of Alice's life, and Fountain Square of Lompoc for their wonderful assisted living and memory care of Alice for the past 7 years.