Alice Kathlyn Martin Carey

Alice Kathlyn Martin Carey, 88, of Morganton, NC, died peacefully Tuesday, November 24, 2015, at Grace Ridge Retirement Center. Born on September 30, 1927 in Pittsburgh, PA, she was a member of First United Methodist Church.  A 1948 graduate of Duke University with a degree in chemistry, she began her career as a science teacher in 1949 at Salem High School and later taught biology at Morganton High School. She met her husband, Charles Major Carey, Jr., while at Duke, where he obtained a graduate degree in forestry. Married in 1947, they moved to Morganton in 1948, and he spent his career at Drexel-Heritage Furnishings, retiring as vice president.

Alice loved animals and was very active in animal rescue, forming the Western Piedmont Humane Society with her husband. She was a past secretary/treasurer of the Unifour Archaeological Society and a member of the Archaeological Society of North Carolina. She and her husband loved Lake James and the outdoors. Expert amateur archaeologists, they enjoyed searching for native American artifacts around Lake James and the foothills. They used their extensive collection in presentations to school and civic groups and assisted professional archaeologists in uncovering the early history of human settlement in the Upper Catawba Valley. Alice was also a past member of the Morganton Garden Club, the Morganton Women’s Club, belonged to several bridge clubs, and loved to travel abroad.

In addition to her parents, Mathew A. and Mildred K. Martin, Alice was preceded in death by her husband, Charles.

The cryptside service will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, November 30, 2015 at Burke Memorial Park Mausoleum with Rev. Dr. John Fowler officiating.

Memorial contributions may be made to Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, P.O. Box 3023, Morganton, NC 28680 or to A Better Life Animal Rescue, P.O. Box 8311, Morganton, NC 28680.

Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting with the arrangements.