Alice Marie Bauserman Brill

The staff of Heishman Funeral Home Inc., Heishman Funeral Service sends condolences to the family of Alice Marie Bauserman Brill. Alice Marie Bauserman Brill passed away peacefully at The Maynard in Strasburg, Virginia, early on the morning of October 14, 2025. Born on December 8, 1926, Alice was raised on a small farm in Hamburg, west of Mt. Jackson, Virginia. She was the oldest child of Fred Luther and Ocie Edith Long Bauserman. She graduated from Triplett High School in Mt. Jackson in May 1945, as World War II ended. As the class valedictorian, she later helped to organize and keep records of her class reunions, which she faithfully attended through 2019. Following high school graduation, Alice completed a two-year secretarial program at Shenandoah Business College in Woodstock, Virginia. She worked for two years in a secretarial position for Farm Credit (Shenandoah Production Credit and Federal Land Bank) in Woodstock. In 1947, Alice met Ford Brill, whom she married on June 5, 1949. Soon after their marriage, they purchased their first home, located at 600 Massanutten Heights in Woodstock, Virginia. There, they began to raise their family. Ford enjoyed farming, always managing a menagerie of cattle, sheep, pigs, ponies, chickens, and ducks. Through the years, there were many barn cats and several favorite rescue dogs. Alice canned or froze the fresh vegetables from their large garden. The family enjoyed these foods not only during the summer, but also throughout the winter. When family and friends visited, food was a primary centerpiece. Alice knew how to prepare and present delicious foods as the result of first working as an assistant in the kitchen at Mt. Airy Farm, south of Mt. Jackson and owned at the time by the Harold Vanderbilt family. During her lifetime, she continued to hone her culinary skills. She will be remembered especially for her homemade ice cream, birthday cakes, chocolate chip cookies, cherry and pumpkin pies, and dream bars, the latter a favorite at card games. Alice enjoyed attending reunions of the Brill, Marshall, Bauserman, and Long families; weddings and other celebrations; local festivals such as the Edinburg Ole’ Time Festival; and the Shenandoah County Fair. She corresponded regularly with and traveled to visit family and friends. Her favorite games included Rummy, Canasta, and Dominoes. She liked to solve crypto-quips and Jumbles. When immediate family gathered for birthdays or holiday events, Mad Libs generated lots of laughter. She also enjoyed a variety of music, often attending performances given by local musicians and community or church choirs. Alice was actively involved in the Woodstock community and the Woodstock United Methodist Church. In the community, she served as a volunteer tutor for six years and as president of the Parent-Teacher Association. She also served as a volunteer with the Bread of Life Food Pantry and with the Woodstock Clothes Closet and bowled with the Senior Bowling League. In addition, she served on the local Board of Directors for the American Cancer Society. Within her church community, she served on the missions committee, which she also chaired; taught youth Sunday school classes; served as adult leader for the United Methodist Youth group and on the administrative council; and participated in the United Methodist Women’s group. In 1997, the United Methodist Women honored Alice with a plaque and a pin for her forty-five years of service. For fifteen years, she attended, as well as held a leadership role in planning, the Stonewall District Sunday School Convention. Alice will be especially remembered for her friendly smile, her sense of humor, her ability to recall events from the past, poetry that she learned as a young girl, and her generally practical outlook on life. As a small child, she absorbed this wisdom from a short poem her father recited to her: “A wise old owl lived in an oak/The more he heard, the less he spoke/The less he spoke, the more he heard/Why can’t we all be like that bird?” Interestingly, Alice’s favorite animal was the owl. Surviving Alice are her children, Karen (Bill Meyer), Keith, Nathan, Terry (Lisa Chick), and her beloved granddaughter Melanie; and her sisters-in-law Frances Jones Brill and Kate Copenhaver Bauserman. Continuing the family lineage are many cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great-nieces, and great-great nephews. She has many special friends who will miss her as well. In addition to her parents, Alice was predeceased by her husband, Robert Ford Brill; siblings, Leonard Bauserman, Senior, Ralph Bauserman, and Edith Bauserman Didawick; several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews; and many cousins and friends. Alice and her family very much appreciated the care and the attention that she received from the professional staff at The Maynard and, at the end of her life, from Blue Ridge Care. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Heishman Funeral Home in Woodstock, Virginia. A memorial service for Alice will be held at Woodstock United Methodist Church on Monday, October 20, at 11 a.m. with burial to follow in Massanutten Cemetery. Family will hold a visitation for family and friends one hour prior to the service. Per Alice’s request, in lieu of flowers, please donate to children’s programs offered through the Shenandoah County Library at the following address: Shenandoah County Library Foundation, 514 Stoney Creek Boulevard, Edinburg, VA 22824. On the memo line, note “children’s programs.” Online condolences may be left at valleyfs.com

Alice Marie Bauserman Brill

December 8, 1926 - October 14, 2025