Cecelia Diffly Alison passed away unexpectedly at her home on Friday, January 13th, 2023. Cecelia was born on August 7, 1933, in Montgomery, AL, to Helen Gies Diffly and Peter Franklin Diffly. She was the youngest of six children. The family moved to Selma, AL, where she was raised and graduated from Albert G. Parrish High School. She attended the University of Alabama, and later obtained a BA from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and a master’s from Vanderbilt University. She served her community for over 20 years as a mental health counselor with the Huntsville Madison County Mental Health Center.
Cecelia met her husband, William Evans Alison, Sr. as childhood friends in Selma. They were married at The Church of the Assumption in Selma in July 1959 and eventually relocated to Huntsville. Cecelia and Evans were married for 52 years before his death in Sept 2021.
Cecelia was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Nativity in Huntsville where she was on the Altar Guild for many years. She had an integral part in starting the Bookmobile, a mobile library, in the 1960’s and also served as a poetry judge for many years for a local school age competition.
Cecelia especially enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren and very recently great-grandchildren. She raised and rode Tennessee Walking Horses, winning a World Grand Championship class in 1994 and enjoyed fox hunting with the Mooreland Hunt for many years. A highlight of her winter weekends was having family and friends to the family farm in Selma to go quail hunting.
Her friends would describe her as a graceful, strong, intelligent, and compassionate Southern Lady. She was known for her beautiful rose garden, more recently her amazing lilies and as a wonderful cook.
In addition to her husband and parents, Cecelia was preceded in death by her sisters, Doris Diffly Emmerson (Harris), Madelyn Diffly Cathey (Lee), and Grace Diffly; her brothers, Pete Diffly and Eugene Diffly; and her infant daughter, Anne Alison. She is survived by her three children, Lee Cathey Alison (June), James Cathey Alison (Karen Cooper), and William Evans Alison, Jr. (Christy); grandchildren, Clifton Alison (Dora), Mark Alison, Evans Alison III, Luke Alison, Madelyn Alison and Mary Ellis Alison; and great-grandchildren, Silas Alison and Elizabeth Alison.
A memorial service will be held on January 21, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity with Father Worth Stuart officiating. Immediately following the service, all are welcome to attend a reception at the home of Christy and Bill Alison at 424 Randolph Ave.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Episcopal Church of the Nativity, 208 Eustis Avenue, Huntsville, AL 35801.
