It is with full hearts that we announce the passing of Alicia Arce Pedelty, who died peacefully in her sleep surrounded by family on December 23rd at age 98, in Newaygo MI. Born January 7, 1926, the third of four children in Detroit MI, she lived a life full to the brim of adventure, creativity, humor, kindness and love.

A beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, her own family story started when a young Norman Pedelty became smitten with a beautiful, studious girl in his pathology class at the University of Michigan Medical School. 70 years of marriage, 6 children, 12 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren were to follow. Together, Norm and Alicia lived a life of adventure, devotion to one another, and so much laughter. Upon completing their internships, they chose Newaygo for their forever home. This first chapter was interrupted when Norm was called to serve overseas in the armed forces in Germany, where Alicia joined him as a young mother and army wife. They returned to Newaygo, but that was the beginning of a lifetime of travelling the world that they would do together, often with their family in tow. They had a tradition of visiting one of the world's great rivers on every major anniversary, and she would come home with a bottle of water from each, carefully labeled: Amazon. Yangtze. Mississippi. Nile. All lined up on a shelf downstairs and holding the secrets of those shared adventures. They also travelled together providing medical services – Nicaragua, a summer on the Navajo reservation, a medical exchange to the USSR - the list goes on. They travelled in service, and they traveled in adventure and to them it was the same.

She taught her family to be curious, to be disciplined, and most of all to be kind. Spiders were carefully collected and taken outside. The household was never without a dog or two--all rescues or hand me downs, and all treated unabashedly like royalty. A menagerie of sick or injured animals was brought inside and nursed back to health. Thanksgiving tables were wonderfully crowded. Friends became extended family. Her grandchildren were adored and tended, and then, the same with great-grandchildren. She created magic for her family.

An insatiable learner, she was never far from a book, exploring new topics right up to her final days. She soloed an airplane at age 16. In a time when women often didn't have careers, she graduated from medical school and was a skilled and respected physician. She took up violin and viola in her 40's and performed with a local orchestra. She took a course in celestial navigation, and she grew the most amazing flower garden, overflowing with peonies, family heirloom roses and rhododendrons. Her legacy is one of warmth, love and kindness to everyone lucky enough to have shared her orbit.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Norman LeRoy Pedelty, MD; her eldest son Joey Francisco Pedelty (Mirna); her grandson Arron LeRoy Pedelty; her parents Esperanza and Francisco Arce; and her siblings Armando, Aurora and Angelina.

She is survived by her children Laura Lee Pedelty (Fred Ovsiew), Ronald Ryan Pedelty (Tienfong Ho), Gregory Pedelty, Jeffrey LeRoy Pedelty (Jane) and Linda Marie Pedelty (Joseph Wilson); grandchildren Angelita, Norman, Isaac; Gabriel, Adrian; Andrew, Katy; Michael, Matthew; Adam, Aubrie; and 12 great grandchildren.

There will be no memorial service. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to Doctors without Borders.