Beloved and admired wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, Alice Chenault of Huntsville passed away from Alzheimer’s Disease at the age of 80 on July 19 after a long, happy, and productive life. Her death leaves a huge gap in the lives of the many who loved her.
Many were touched by her generosity, capability, intelligence, wit, and love for her family, friends, colleagues and community. Nowhere was this more evident than in her love for her family, who were scattered across the country, thus generating many trips to visit and enjoy.
Alice was born in 1944 in New Orleans to John Murphy Chenault and Belle Montgomery Chenault. She grew up in Decatur where she developed her passion for language, science and music. She graduated from Decatur High School. She was an Alabama Science Fair winner, receiving a scholarship to the University of Alabama where she graduated with a B.S. in Biology and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Alice then attended Florida State University and received an M.S. in Physiology. She next taught biology and science at the University of Alabama in Huntsville for seven years. She then worked at NASA in the microgravity science program for several years before going to medical school at The University of Alabama at the age of 38. She was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. While a medical student she published a nutrition textbook, was the first medical student to become a Trustee of the American Medical Association and gave birth to her son Bert. To say she was busy is an understatement.
Alice worked as a psychiatrist at the Madison County Mental Health Center from 1988-1990 before opening her own practice where she worked until retirement in 2008. As a psychiatrist Alice served as the Chief of Psychiatry at Huntsville Hospital 1992-1993 and 2000-2004 and was a member of the Alabama Psychiatric Association where she served as Chair of the Ethics Committee. It is impossible to count the number of people she helped.
Alice was active in community activities including as a volunteer at the Huntsville Free Clinic, a member of the Board of Regents at University of the South, the Board of Trustees at Randolph School, and the Board of Trustees of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra. Alice especially enjoyed awarding grants from the Shearwater Foundation (her family foundation) that funded environmental groups, indigent clinics, and causes impacting children.
Upon retirement Alice began actively pursuing her passions of photography, painting (she finally had time for this), writing, including as a community columnist for the Huntsville Times, travel, friends, and grandchildren. She and her husband Milton traveled to all seven continents, 50 states, and many countries including the Bahamas, her favorite. She went on safari in Africa, saw polar bears in the Arctic, met Jimmy Carter, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. This was a very happy period for Alice – she flourished in all these activities, and the love and joy she gave is cherished by all who knew her.
She is survived by the love of her life, Milton Harris; her children, Jeffery Milton Harris, Jennifer Raye Sullivan (husband Joe), Adele Maurer Lewis (husband Rodney), John Berton Harris (wife Eleanor); and her grandchildren Declan, Leah, and Maggie Shae Sullivan, and Callie, Quin, and Preston Lewis; and her siblings, Belle Chenault (husband Philip Mortenson), John Chenault (wife Wendy Cohen), Leigh Pedigo (husband Paul), and Martha Marks.
The family is eternally grateful to the kind and loving women who supported Alice through her illness: Rita Humphrey, Olivae Sapp, Tonia Fulford, Nijeria Pierson, and Alethia Grant.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Clifton Institute, Warrenton, Virginia, or to the John Murphy Chenault M.D. Medical Scholarship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine.
A small celebration of life will be held for family on August 17.
