Mary Alice Watts, who always preferred to be called "Alice", was born in Spokane on June 28, 1949, to Francis James O'Connor and Margaret Helen Allen O'Connor.  She attended St. Charles grade school and Assumption grade school where she was in the first 8 ^th grade class.  She graduated from Marycliff High School in 1967 and maintained lifelong friendships with her classmates. She attended Eastern Washington University for a year and then decided to explore her Irish roots and attended the University of Galway in Ireland.  She had many stories of her adventures and a young man who followed her back to the USA to ask her to marry him but she gracefully said no.

She took off to San Francisco where she met her husband of 50 years, Donald E Watts.  She was employed by an insurance company and he was in the navy.  They were married in Assumption Church and returned to San Francisco but soon realized they wanted to raise their family in Spokane. They had two boys born in 1974 and 1978.  She stayed at home to raise the boys while finishing her degree at EWU.

During college she interned with the State of Washington, Department of Corrections, which would develop into a 28 year career.  Alice started in community supervision and worked her way up to director of the Eleanor Chase Women's Work Release facility.  When Alice retired she was the manager of the Spokane Community Justice Center.  She was a recognized leader in the criminal justice community in Spokane.

Alice retired in 2012.  She had two granddaughters who filled her with joy.  She loved to see them as often as she could.  She loved flowers and gardening.  She also called herself a "biker chick" when she rode with Don on his bright red Can Am Spider three wheel bike.

Alice passed into the Lord's arms on February 19 ^th .  She is survived by her husband Donald E. Watts; sons Brian E. Watts (Corrina) and Michael D. Watts; sisters Kathleen M. O'Connor and Jean Marie Thomson (Donald); and granddaughters Helen Rose Watts and Madeleine Grace Watts.  In lieu of flowers the family asks you consider a donation to Transitions and/or Joya.