Alice (Crockett) Garton

Alice Mae (Mowrey) (Crockett) Garton left this world on Sunday morning, July 21, 2024. Alice was the youngest of Ervin and Alice Evelyn Mowrey’s six children, and was born on December 6th, 1933, in the Mowrey homestead on Bear Mountain, built by her grandparents (Frank and Hermina Mowrey) in the late 1800’s. Her father (Ervin) and all her siblings were also born in this house, which continues to stand today. Alice was very proud of her deep Chelan roots, as her other grandparents (John and Emily Dodge) had also homesteaded in Chelan in the late 1800’s on the other side of the lake. John Dodge was a carpenter in Chelan and built Whaley mansion, Campbells lodge, etc., and Frank Mowrey was one of the earliest settlers in the valley and was the meat-provider for the railroad survey crew thru the Cascades.

In 1951, Alice married James C. Crockett, and had 3 children: Virginia, David and Anita. She loved living in Chelan and worked her entire career of 41 years in the apple industry and was one of the fastest apple-packers. She really enjoyed the sense of community at the sheds, and in the latter years, she made a point to make a baby sweater for every woman she worked with that was pregnant. That’s the kind of person she was…always kind and generous.

Unfortunately, her life with JC was cut short when he died in 1971. In 1973, Alice got reacquainted with an old Chelan classmate, Fred Garton (who was another descendant of early Chelan homesteaders) and was remarried. They had many adventures riding Harley’s and RV trips with Billy and MaryAnn Gilham. They bought a home below the original Mowrey homestead, so mom could look up and see her old childhood home and reminisce about her early days on the “ranch”. Sadly, Fred’s life was also cut short and died of cancer in1988. Alice continued to live in Chelan and decided to finally retire in 1992, to babysit grandchildren. Even in retirement she continued to work hard and was extremely productive. She would get up at the crack of dawn and mow her huge yard, do her own basic home repair, and even painted the outside of her house when she was in her mid70’s. She set up her living room with two quilting frames, so she could make dozens of quilts for everyone. She told stories of life growing up on the “ranch”, going up to Sunnybank in the evenings to fetch the cows and bring them back, and how she would “ride a Heffer home” in the dark, alone. That was the story she told the most, as it must’ve been scary. It was a hard life growing up, but it helped her develop an incredible work ethic, which served her well, and is likely the reason she lived to be 90! 

Alice was preceded in death by both husbands, James Crockett and Fred Garton; her parents (Ervin and Alice Mowrey); her siblings (Ruth Gallagher, Lucille Hallock, Ervin (Bill) Mowrey, Elsa Todd and Frank Mowrey. She is survived by 3 children: Virginia Goldman, David Crockett, and Anita Clouse; 7 grandchildren: Nathan Byrd, Adam Byrd, James Goldman, Fona Crockett, Blake Crockett, Charley Clouse and Sean Clouse; and 8 great grandchildren.

Alice was laid to rest in the Chelan Fraternal Cemetery. A celebration of life will be held at the Chelan State Park on September 21, 2024.