Alice Walke Somerville

Alice Walke Somerville of the 1000 block of Owl’s Creek Lane Va Beach, Va departed this life on February 23, 2021 after residing in long term care at Beth Sholom Village. She was born in Princess Anne County, Va to the late Clarence O. and Ivia Woodhouse Walke. She was the second of nine children. She grew up in the Mt Zion A.M.E. church family and in 1975 became a member of Basilica of St Mary of the Immaculate Conception. She was a 1949 graduate of Princess Anne County Training School and a 1953 graduate of Virginia State College, Petersburg, Va with a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics Education.

She continued further studies at Norfolk State College, Old Dominion University and the University of Virginia with certification to teach elementary and middle school grades, General Science and Chemistry. She was a teacher in the Princess Anne County/Va Beach Public Schools for 33 years. She was a member of the National Education Association, the Va. Beach Education Association, The Reading Council of Va Beach, and the NAACP. She touched the lives of many children and parents and was always pleasantly surprised and gratified when former students remembered and greeted her. She is predeceased by her husband, Joseph C. Somerville; daughter, Lillian S. Small; son, James C. Somerville; brothers, Clarence L. Walke, Winston R. Walke, Charles A. Walke, Ronald E. Walke, and William Walke; sister, Sylvia Bruce Walke; sisters in law, Elaine B. Walke and Marion Z. Walke.

Left to cherish Jeanne’s memory are daughters, Alice S. Paris (George), Ivia J. Somerville (Janice), and son, Joseph C. Somerville Jr.; one sister, Ivia Cora W. Greene (Rodney), and one brother, Leon C. Walke (Wanette); sisters in law, Joanne Taylor, Julia Williams, and Agnes Bullock; four nieces, Linda W. Lilly (Paul), Alice W. Speller (Donald), Angela W. Bievre, and Stephanie R. Walke; three nephews, Ronald H. Greene, Keith A. Walke (Melodee), and Glenn Leaks; four great nieces, three great nephews; nine grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren; Joseph, Jerald, James, Timothy, Casaundra, William, Lisa, George R. and Theresa and two great-great grandchildren; special friends, Zella Barnett, Carolyn Jones, Lafayette Williams, Darlene Gregory, Carolyn Conway Somerville, Hortense Spence, Bonnie Berg, the Ponton family, and a host of loving relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Basilica of St Mary of the Immaculate Conception’s Capital Improvement Fund, Food Pantry, or Soup Kitchen.