Alice Olson Zortman

Alice Olson Zortman, mother of four, grandmother of five, and great grandmother to fourteen, passed away on April 2, 2026. 

Alice was a daughter of Carl Albert and Mildred Olson, born December 7, 1932 in Arthur Township, Minnesota. She was one of seven children with four brothers and two sisters. She married Robert Arthur Zortman on December 19, 1953 and subsequently had three girls, each a year apart (Debra Kay, Beckie Lynn, and Bonnie Jean) while living in Minnesota. Alice and Robert moved their family from Coon Rapids, Minnesota to New Orleans, Louisiana where a son (Brian Robert) was born. They again moved to Memphis, Tennessee and finally to Fairhope, Alabama in 1970. They were married for thirty-three years and divorced in 1986. 

During their marriage, Alice had several clerical jobs but in the latter portion of her marriage, she primarily helped take care of what she termed their “ranchette”, the twelve acres in Fairhope on which the family lived, with its farmer’s gardens, hayfield, cows, chickens, pigs, and horses. Alice was a good cook and especially enjoyed making Christmas cookies with her family. She also loved taking her grandchildren down to the Fairhope Pier to go crabbing. She was very fond of all houseplants. She was a seamstress and participated in making quilts that her church donated to charitable organizations. In her later years, she lived with her son and beloved pet cats and dogs. She enjoyed playing Scrabble, and piecing large, elegant puzzles together. Alice was a member of the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fairhope for 56 years. 

Alice was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers (Lawrence, Howard, Floyd, and Robert) and a sister (Ediith). She is survived by her sister, Karen; her children Debra Stults (Cooper), Beckie McCallum (Michael), Bonnie Trione (Rick), and Brian; five grandchildren, Chad Gagne (Melissa), Laurin Muller (Ed), Richard Trione (Lindsay), Robert Trione (Emily), Anna Simmons (Ben); and fourteen great grandchildren, Robbie and Victoria Gagne, Katherine and Alexandra Muller, John, Zella, Robert, and Tobias Trione, Charlotte, Sam, and Denny Trione, and Albert, Mary, and Gloria Simmons.

 A service for Alice will be held April 17, 2026 4:00 pm at Redeemer Lutheran Church, in Fairhope, AL.