Alyce Lillian Larson Sherrard

was born on May 13, 1931 and passed on to see her Lord on June 28, 2015. She was preceded in death by her father, Carl Larson; mother, Lillian Norman Larson and sister, Anne Mae Eernisse. She is survived by her husband, Jean; her daughters Beth and Linnea; her son, Andrew; her daughter-in-law, Michele; and her 5 grandchildren: Bryce, Brock, Reese, Drew and Jensen. Alyce loved to host family, old friends and make new ones at her long time home on Agate Pass. She was a gentle, kind and hardworking woman who grew up during the Depression on Queen Anne with her parents and older sister. She graduated from Queen Anne High School in 1949. Alyce went on to the University of Washington where she attended nursing school and worked at Swedish Hospital. She married Jean in 1957 and after he finished law school, they moved to Poulsbo in 1963 to be closer to her parents. They started a family in 1963 and raised them in the house her father had built on the water. She founded Reliable Storage with Jean in 1981. She helped it grow over the past 34 years to 7 sites across Kitsap County. She loved to read, write letters and live out her strong Christian faith by helping anyone who needed it. She enthusiastically supported Youth For Christ locally and nationally and served on both boards for years. Alyce was a gentle soul who loved everyone she met. She hosted Thanksgiving in her home for nearly 50 years, and always invited someone new to share her table. She insisted that everyone, no matter how old or young, wear name tags so the ‘new folks' would feel welcome. Nothing could stop her, not even a storm that knocked out the electricity. She plowed ahead and cooked a Thanksgiving meal for 30 people on her wood stove. She was a letter writer. She wrote thousands of letters to her children, sister, aunts, cousins and friends. She wrote to share the weather, to cheer the recipient up or to check in how things were going. She clipped and sent articles about everything from a new building coming to Seattle to a local ‘success story' like Bill Gates. She was an adventurer. Without asking her parents permission, Alyce wrote to her Aunt in Turlock, California, asking if she could come for a visit. Her mother was quite surprised when her Aunt responded with an emphatic "Yes!" Unable to back out, her parents reluctantly agreed to let their 12 year-old daughter take the train by herself to California. At 16, she went with her beloved Aunt Anna on a 3-month bus tour around the U.S. She had saved all of her own money for the trip and loved seeing the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate and everything in between. She was a hard worker. ‘I could make it across a desert, just one foot in front of the other,' Alyce was fond of saying. She and Jean founded Reliable Storage in 1981. She thought he was crazy. He thought she could run it. She became the first manager and the soul of Reliable Storage. "Our customer is our most important asset. Remember that and you will succeed. Forget that and you will fail." Those are words that still inspire the Reliable family today. She was a Christian. Alyce had an unwavering, unshakeable faith in her Lord Jesus Christ. She didn't wear it on her sleeve, instead she lived it every day. She gave her time and her treasure to overseas missionaries and her local chapel. She helped start Youth For Christ in Kitsap County and served on the board for many years. She counseled and mentored Christians of all ages and stripes. Along with Jean, she gave countless hours to help improve the reach and effectiveness of the national YFC organization. She was a Mom and Grandma. She baked animal cakes, she cheered at all of her kids sporting events and gladly hosted all of their friends at her house. Dishing out stacks of Blueberry pancakes and gallons of milk to feed all the kids who rolled through the door. Alyce was thrilled to be with her grandchildren. Whether she was getting them a glass of milk or teaching them how to sew, Alyce made them feel like the most important person in the world. We will miss her.We will celebrate her life at a Memorial Service at 11 a.m. on July 12th at Kiana Lodge. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your local library or YFC chapter.