Service
Sunday, July 31, 2022 | Family Hour: 2:00 p.m. | Service: 2:30 p.m. |
Howell Funeral Home Chapel |10220 Guilford Road| Jessup, MD 20794
Celebration of Life for Alice Dockery
Interment
Private
Alice Lee Turner was born in Winnsboro, Louisiana to the Late Mack Turner and the Late Lillie Mae Swayzer, on December 19, 1941. She was baptized at an early age in Winnsboro, Louisiana. After the passing of her beloved mother, Alice and her sister Lucy Jane lived with their paternal grandparents, Lucy and Aaron Turner, until the age of ten. While living in Winnsboro, she attended Franklin Parish Training School, where she was an honor student. She was tutored by her Aunt Bertha, who was a teacher in Franklin Parish
By seventh grade, Alice had moved to Monroe, Louisiana to live with her maternal grandparents, The Late Reverend Isadore Swayzer and the Late Mary Jane Swayzer. She attended Carroll High School, where she was an outstanding scholar and member of the elite “Carroll High School Majorettes” also known as the Carroll High School High Steppers! Alice’s physique was lean and she had beautiful long legs which gave her an ability to march and dance with grace and style. She was one of the best to come through Carroll High School. Alice performed on television shows and marched in parades across the state of Louisiana.
Upon moving to Monroe, she joined Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, under the leadership of Reverend Joe Newman. She was very active in the church and was often selected to recite poems and perform in church plays because of her excellent public speaking ability. After graduating from Carroll High School, Alice attended Grambling College, in Grambling, Louisiana. She was selected as Majorette for Grambling College now known as Grambling State University, with the world renown GSU Tiger Marching Band. Later, Alice moved to Houston, Texas to live with Aunt Lucille Pink and her children Marie, John Earl, Earline, Alvin and Earl Jr. Once Alice relocated to Houston, Texas, she immediately enrolled at Texas Southern University. While enrolled at Texas Southern, she met and married the love of her life, Powell Dockery. Powell was an outstanding football player at Jack Yates High School and Texas Southern University. To this union four children were born, Tamara, Chevelle, Tina and Patricia. Alice was very talented in the arts and while growing up in Monroe, she and her cousins, Geneva, Marie and the late Carlene Lee, spent most of their time choreographing dances. While at Grambling State College, the late Julian Gray, Sr. confided in Alice when he was preparing to propose to her cousin Geneva. Geneva and Alice were like sisters. They loved each other and supported each other’s endeavors. Alice was a strikingly beautiful lady who was genuinely kind, compassionate, trustworthy, giving, helpful and would give you the ”shirt off her back.”
When Alice would visit Monroe, she would often stay with her cousins Geneva and Carlene, staying up late at night drinking coffee and reminiscing about the past. They loved sharing stories about their childhood from attending their poppa’s church, Reverend Isadore Swayzer, working at their grandparents’ burger stand, making sure the linens were ironed correctly to make their grandmother Mary Jane smile, shopping at the local 5 and dime store and of course the dances they choreographed and music they listened to back in the day. Alice and her daughters, Patricia and Tamara and granddaughters Mia and Nyah were active members of the City of Hope International Worship Center under the leadership of Bishop Joseph A. McCargo, Elkridge, Maryland. Alice loved the Lord and she and her cousin Geneva often talked for hours on the telephone about the goodness of the Lord. Alice was well versed in bible scriptures and often shared them with her family and others. The cousins would often stay on the phone for so long, they would find themselves hosting their own bible study. Alice, Geneva and Geneva’s brother Thomas (Rusty) Lynch.
Alice leaves to cherish her memories and legacy, four wonderful children, Tamara Turner, Hanover, Maryland; Chevelle Dockery, Tina Uzoma, (Godwin) Houston, Texas; and Patricia Simmons, Hanover, Maryland. Her precious grandchildren: Ashlie Dockery, Taylor Gee, Mia Simmons. Her sister Bertil Turner, Henderson, NV, her dear cousins, Geneva Lynch Gray, Monroe, Louisiana; Marie Waller and Earline Pink, Houston, Texas, and Thomas (Rusty) Lynch, Shreveport, Louisiana and a host of nephews, nieces and church family to cherish her memories. Preceding Alice in death are her parents, Mack and Lillie Mae Turner, her loving sister, Lucy Jane Turner, and her baby brother Larry Swayzer; a sweet granddaughter Nyah, her aunts, Lucille Swayzer Pink, Carrie Swayzer Lynch Beaudoin, and Sally B Richardson; her uncles Isadore Swayzer, Jr., Isaiah Swayzer and Johnny Richardson. Special
Acknowledgements
The children of Alice Dockery wish to gratefully acknowledge your kind expressions of sympathy with deep appreciation:
Cousin Geneva Gray and her children
Nicole Gray Jason and Dr. Karen Gray-Gomez (Dr. Gomez)
Dear Friend, Joyce Scott and family
Bishop Joseph A. McCargo and City of Hope International Worship Center
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