Alma Maye Somerville, 94, of Peoria, IL, passed away on Friday, February 26, 2021, at Manor Court in Peoria.
She was born Alma Maye Alexander on October 15, 1926, in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada, to American parents James Wesley Alexander and Alma Margo (Pearson) Alexander. The family moved to Peoria, IL, in 1938.
Alma married Ross Andrew Somerville on January 19, 1949, in Wenona, IL, and lived in Bloomington, IL; St. Louis, MO; Peoria, IL; Las Vegas, NV; Champaign, IL; and Belvidere, IL. Her husband passed away August 9, 2010, in Belvidere.
Mrs. Somerville is survived by two children: Scott (Bev) Somerville; Susan (Charles) Brown; life partner of Michael Somerville Mary Ingman; four grandchildren: Brittony Somerville; Reneé (Jeff) Lee; Ross (Caitlin) Somerville; Kayce (Steven) Severin; three great-grandchildren: Arabella Harrison; Griffin Lee; Zachary Severin; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one brother, three sisters, one nephew, and one son Michael Somerville.
Alma graduated from Woodruff High School, where she was a drum majorette and singer. In 1949 she received a Bachelor of Music degree from Illinois Wesleyan University, and became a singer, music teacher, and the choir director at Forrest Hill United Methodist Church of Peoria. For several years she sang with the Peoria Philharmonic Chorale, and was a soloist for the Christian Science Church. In Las Vegas she sang with the UNLV Community Choir and United Methodist Church. She also worked in several retail stores, and retired in 1986 from Carson Pirie Scott in Urbana, IL.
She was an avid reader, loved to paint, and enjoyed time with her family.
Private burial: Biggsville Cemetery.
She was born Alma Maye Alexander on October 15, 1926, in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada, to American parents James Wesley Alexander and Alma Margo (Pearson) Alexander. The family moved to Peoria, IL, in 1938.
Alma married Ross Andrew Somerville on January 19, 1949, in Wenona, IL, and lived in Bloomington, IL; St. Louis, MO; Peoria, IL; Las Vegas, NV; Champaign, IL; and Belvidere, IL. Her husband passed away August 9, 2010, in Belvidere.
Mrs. Somerville is survived by two children: Scott (Bev) Somerville; Susan (Charles) Brown; life partner of Michael Somerville Mary Ingman; four grandchildren: Brittony Somerville; Reneé (Jeff) Lee; Ross (Caitlin) Somerville; Kayce (Steven) Severin; three great-grandchildren: Arabella Harrison; Griffin Lee; Zachary Severin; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one brother, three sisters, one nephew, and one son Michael Somerville.
Alma graduated from Woodruff High School, where she was a drum majorette and singer. In 1949 she received a Bachelor of Music degree from Illinois Wesleyan University, and became a singer, music teacher, and the choir director at Forrest Hill United Methodist Church of Peoria. For several years she sang with the Peoria Philharmonic Chorale, and was a soloist for the Christian Science Church. In Las Vegas she sang with the UNLV Community Choir and United Methodist Church. She also worked in several retail stores, and retired in 1986 from Carson Pirie Scott in Urbana, IL.
She was an avid reader, loved to paint, and enjoyed time with her family.
Private burial: Biggsville Cemetery.
Alma Maye Somerville, 94, of Peoria, IL, passed away on Friday, February 26, 2021, at Manor Court in Peoria.
She was born Alma Maye Alexander on October 15, 1926, in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada, to American parents James Wesley Alexander and Alma Margo (Pearson) Alexander. The family moved to Peoria, IL, in 1938.
Alma married Ross Andrew Somerville on January 19, 1949, in Wenona, IL, and lived in Bloomington, IL; St. Louis, MO; Peoria, IL; Las Vegas, NV; Champaign, IL; and Belvidere, IL. Her husband passed away August 9, 2010, in Belvidere.
Mrs. Somerville is survived by two children: Scott (Bev) Somerville; Susan (Charles) Brown; life partner of Michael Somerville Mary Ingman; four grandchildren: Brittony Somerville; Reneé (Jeff) Lee; Ross (Caitlin) Somerville; Kayce (Steven) Severin; three great-grandchildren: Arabella Harrison; Griffin Lee; Zachary Severin; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one brother, three sisters, one nephew, and one son Michael Somerville.
Alma graduated from Woodruff High School, where she was a drum majorette and singer. In 1949 she received a Bachelor of Music degree from Illinois Wesleyan University, and became a singer, music teacher, and the choir director at Forrest Hill United Methodist Church of Peoria. For several years she sang with the Peoria Philharmonic Chorale, and was a soloist for the Christian Science Church. In Las Vegas she sang with the UNLV Community Choir and United Methodist Church. She also worked in several retail stores, and retired in 1986 from Carson Pirie Scott in Urbana, IL.
She was an avid reader, loved to paint, and enjoyed time with her family.
Private burial: Biggsville Cemetery.
She was born Alma Maye Alexander on October 15, 1926, in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada, to American parents James Wesley Alexander and Alma Margo (Pearson) Alexander. The family moved to Peoria, IL, in 1938.
Alma married Ross Andrew Somerville on January 19, 1949, in Wenona, IL, and lived in Bloomington, IL; St. Louis, MO; Peoria, IL; Las Vegas, NV; Champaign, IL; and Belvidere, IL. Her husband passed away August 9, 2010, in Belvidere.
Mrs. Somerville is survived by two children: Scott (Bev) Somerville; Susan (Charles) Brown; life partner of Michael Somerville Mary Ingman; four grandchildren: Brittony Somerville; Reneé (Jeff) Lee; Ross (Caitlin) Somerville; Kayce (Steven) Severin; three great-grandchildren: Arabella Harrison; Griffin Lee; Zachary Severin; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one brother, three sisters, one nephew, and one son Michael Somerville.
Alma graduated from Woodruff High School, where she was a drum majorette and singer. In 1949 she received a Bachelor of Music degree from Illinois Wesleyan University, and became a singer, music teacher, and the choir director at Forrest Hill United Methodist Church of Peoria. For several years she sang with the Peoria Philharmonic Chorale, and was a soloist for the Christian Science Church. In Las Vegas she sang with the UNLV Community Choir and United Methodist Church. She also worked in several retail stores, and retired in 1986 from Carson Pirie Scott in Urbana, IL.
She was an avid reader, loved to paint, and enjoyed time with her family.
Private burial: Biggsville Cemetery.
Gravesite Details
Biggsville Cemetery, Biggsville, IL
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
See more Somerville or Alexander memorials in:
- Biggsville Cemetery Somerville or Alexander
- Biggsville Somerville or Alexander
- Henderson County Somerville or Alexander
- Illinois Somerville or Alexander
- USA Somerville or Alexander
- Find a Grave Somerville or Alexander
Advertisement
