Obituary of MaryAlice LeBeau

Home: Wurtsboro, New York USA Place of Birth: Gardena, California USA Obituary Mary Alice Le Beau (Stebbins) Wurtsboro, New York 7/07/1928--10/15/2016 Mary Alice Le Beau, died peacefully in her home Sunday, October 16, 2016. She was born July 7, 1928, to Clarence and Janet Stebbins in their home in Gardena, California. Her sister to Eleanor (Stebbins) Symer of Goleta CA and her brother, Charles Stebbins of Cathedral City CA survive her. Her family operated a chicken ranch where they were wholesalers of eggs - which would be called "free range" and "organic " today. Every member had a job to do and the children learned about responsibility while caring for the animals and tending to the fruit and vegetable gardens. It was a good beginning. Her love of music was demonstrated from an early age with singing, playing the piano and the clarinet. This led to studying voice at both UCLA and USC and appearing in musical theatre productions. Her ambition after college was to appear in grand opera. While working for the Automobile Club of Southern California she studied with vocal coaches and developed a lovely mezzo-soprano voice. She was gaining much recognition as an actress and singer in Southern California when she responded to a higher calling that led her to enter the Episcopal Order of St. Helena in Newburgh, N.Y. As Sister Alice she spent twenty years in service to others. During her tenure there she earned a Masters Degree in Counseling from Cornell University. As "Sister in Charge" for six years she led the order in expanding their outreach mission. Her personal assignments led her to work in girls' schools in Augusta, Georgia and Mexico. Several months were spent working with the Order of Holy Cross in Bolahun, Liberia in Africa an assignment that she loved. Her work in the inner City of New York led her to broaden her horizons and to leave the Order and accept a position as Vocational Counselor in the New York State Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. She had a crushing number of people on her list waiting for help and rejoiced in finding placements for many of them. It was then that she met and married Randy Le Beau becoming stepmother to Heidi, Denise, Kenneth, Lisa, Christopher and Jason. While living on Long Island, Randy and Mary Alice began spending happy times in the Catskill Mountain area where they found a plot of land in Wurtsboro and purchased it as a place to spend holidays and occasional weekends. Randy's talents in all kinds of construction and Mary Alice's hands on work ethic enabled them to begin building a small house together on their lovely spot in the forest near Yankee Lake. Their mutual affection for this home grew and convinced them to leave the city and make this their permanent home. Randy had no trouble finding work as an electrician and Inspector of new construction while Mary Alice worked as Confidential Secretary to the Mamakating Town Supervisor and later as Secretary to Attorney Judith Young. Joining American Legion Post 1266, they made many friends and enjoyed the social events as well as working to support the needs of the Legion. She served as Historian for both the local and county Posts. Joining the Women's Auxiliary where she handed out the familiar orange poppies, placed flags on the graves of veterans, and marched in parades. She worked tirelessly at fundraisers and the fund-raising dinners were popular with the townspeople. For 15 years she was their Treasurer and had also served as a past president. Veterans of Foreign Wars member for 5 years and services on Memorial Day also claimed her attention. Wurtsboro Community Church became her new religious home where she enjoyed singing in the choir and volunteering in the Church's Community Food Pantry. Her organizational skills and joy in helping others soon found her playing a dominant role and she took great pride in working with the other members to put food in the hands of those who needed it most. The Basha Kill was a place she loved to spend time and share with visitors. When the area was threatened by development, Mary Alice joined other concerned citizens in efforts to save this unique place for its wildlife and the enjoyment and education of future generations. She found a unique approach in delivering her message when she set up a hot dog stand near it's entrance which gave her a chance to plead her case with the many people who visited. When her husband Randy died their dog, Foxie, was her companion and comforter. As old age advanced, all of her devoted friends and neighbors checked in on her. Most notably, Carolyn and Ed Seeley happily assisted her in whatever she needed which enabled her to remain in her home the rest of her life. During the final days of her surrender to cancer she was lovingly attended to by her son, Chris Le Beau and Hospice Care. Eleanor and Charles wish to express their immeasurable gratitude to Chris for his devotion to our sister and giving her the nursing care she needed. She was never alone and took comfort in his remembrances of happy times in her past with family, music, literature and service to God. His presence and regular reports to us relieved the anxiety and concern caused by our absence during this difficult time. Chris, we are ever in your debt. God bless you. Grave Side Services will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 3:00 PM at Sullivan County Veterans Cemetery, Sunset Lake Rd., Liberty, NY where her cremains will be buried with her loving husband's cremains. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in her name to: Basha Kill Area Association, Inc. PO Box 1121, Wurtsboro, NY 12790.