Obituary of Alice Marie Kundel

Alice Marie Kundel, age 84, of Lafayette Hill, PA died on Sunday, August 25 from cardiovascular disease complicated by lymphoma and diabetes.

Alice was born in Brooklyn, New York to Erna and Henry Pape.

She was enrolled in Barnard College for two years and then transferred to the Columbia University School of Nursing where she earned a BS in nursing and became a registered nurse. She met her future husband, Harold, while at Barnard and they were married on March 28, 1958. She continued working as a hospital head nurse supporting her husband during his internship and radiology residency.

Alice received a large piece of linen cloth that was spun and woven by her grandmother in Germany as a wedding present. Once while looking at it she said “I can do this” and took up spinning and weaving. Eventually she made the cloth into a bedspread with an appliqued design. She was a very successful weaver supplying interior designers with custom made pillows, throws, and blankets. With a few other weavers Alice founded the Philadelphia Fiber Studio weaving tapestries for many corporate offices. One of her tapestries, “Boat House Row”, is displayed in the Café of The Hill at Whitemarsh.

In later years, when she could no longer dress her loom she transitioned to quilting and was very prolific, making bed quilts, decorative quilted wall hangings and table runners for sale and as gifts to her friends and family. After moving into the Hill she made quilted mug rugs for sale in the Treasure Chest.

Alice was blessed with three children, Jean, Catherine and Peter and four granddaughters, Emily, Ellie, Charlotte and Jane. Every one of them has at least one quilt to remember her by.

The family will receive visitors on Saturday, August 31 at 10:00 AM followed by a memorial service at 11:00 AM. Both events will be held at St Peters Lutheran Church 3025 Church Road, Lafayette Hill, PA. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Alice’s memory to the American Diabetes Association.

www.diabetes.org