Alice Gale Stilwell, beloved mother, grandmother, wife, partner, sister, friend, hairstylist, and confidante, passed away unexpectedly on August 22, 2026. Alice was born in Southside Hospital in Islip, New York. She was 67 years old.

Alice moved to Cape May, New Jersey as an adolescent, and it remained home for much of her life before she eventually settled in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey.

In her young adulthood, Alice married, became a mother to her three daughters; Alice, Crystal, and April, and one step-daughter; Jennie, and began working as a member of the kitchen staff at the Cape May County Jail. In the early 1990s, she decided it was time for a new chapter and returned to school to pursue her passion for creativity and beauty. She became a licensed hairstylist, a career that she continued throughout her life.

She became a grandmother (although the name “Mongee” seemed to stick with her as well) and with each new grandchild after, her love and passion for her role in her family grew and she cherished and took pride in every second spent with them.

Alice was preceded in death by her husband and father to her daughters, John Albert Stilwell (1957-2004), and her parents, Catherine Holt and Arnold Holt.

Alice met her partner of 20+ years - Robert Barr II - whom she remained with until their untimely passing. They enjoyed spending their days cooking together, attending farmers markets, gardening, and simply spending quality time with each other and their two cats. 

For Alice, being a hairstylist was never simply a job. The chair became a place where people could feel heard, understood, encouraged, and loved. She was a stylist, but she was also a counselor, a therapist, a trusted friend, and to so many of her clients, a source of comfort. She cared deeply about the people who sat in her chair, and many of those relationships became lifelong friendships. Although Alice was beginning to enter her retirement years and had recently reduced her schedule, she could never quite bring herself to walk away from her chair. She loved her clients far too much. Helping people feel beautiful, confident, and cared for was simply part of who she was.

Above everything else, Alice's greatest joy was her family. Her daughters and grandchildren were the center of her world. She never wanted to miss a birthday, holiday, graduation, or special moment in their lives. She celebrated their accomplishments, worried about their struggles, and loved them fiercely. Her family knew that, no matter what, Alice would be there.

She is survived by her three daughters, Alice Stilwell Jr. (46), Crystal Morales (45), April Vanaman (43), by her step-daughter, Jennie Stilwell Belmonte (50), by her grandchildren, Andrew Voegtlin (24), Evan Belmonte (21), Alexander Morales (21), Avery Vanaman (18), Manuel Morales (18), Exavier Morales (16), Abigale Gilmore (15), and Grace Belmonte (15), and by Crystal’s Husband, Arturo Morales (47), and Jennie’s husband, Gregory Belmonte (56).

Alice's maternal love also extended beyond her own biological children. Her partner of 20+ years, Robert Barr II, had three children of his own - Robert Barr III, Brianna Barr, and Ryan Barr - whom Alice affectionately considered to be her own. She welcomed them into her heart and family without hesitation, loving them as an important part of her life and helping to shape them from young adulthood into the strong individuals they have become.

Alice was naturally creative and proudly passed that gift on to her daughters and to her grandchildren. Her love of painting, drawing, designing, crafting, and creating beautiful things became part of the next generation and through them to the one after. She had an unmistakable ability to take ordinary things and make them extraordinary.

During her later years, Alice poured that creativity into her overflowing craft room, where she could spend hours pouring her heart into beautiful and whimsical creations. She enjoyed creating items to sell at local farmers markets, once again finding a way to bring happiness and joy to other people.

Alice was also a life-long animal lover and adored her two cats - who she talked about perhaps a little more than necessary with anyone willing to listen.

And then there was Betty Boop.

Alice had loved Betty Boop since she was a little girl and never outgrew her fascination. She proudly carried that love throughout her life in her clothing, trinkets, decorations, and even her famously cherished tattoo. Betty Boop was just one of the many little things that made Alice unmistakably Alice.

Alice was not just simply a mother, grandmother, hairstylist, or partner. To the people that knew and loved her, she was so much more. She had a remarkable capacity to care for people - even those who struggled to care for themselves. She lived her life with compassion, creativity, humor, loyalty, and passion.

She gave pieces of herself freely. She made people feel beautiful. She listened when people needed someone to hear them. She loved deeply and without reservation. Her life was defined not only by the family she created, but by the family that she found.

The unexpected circumstances surrounding Alice's passing have left an immeasurable hole in the lives of those who loved her, yet her legacy will not end with her passing.

It will live on in her daughters, her grandchildren, family, friends, the people Alice made feel beautiful, the people she comforted, the people she encouraged, and in every creative piece made by hands and hearts that she inspired.

Overall, Alice's greatest legacy is love.

She loved her family fiercely. She loved her friends completely. She loved her clients genuinely. She loved animals, creativity, beauty, and the little things that made life special.

And she will be loved, remembered, and missed always.

Rest peacefully, Mom. Rest peacefully, Mongee. Your chair may be empty, but the love you left behind will never be. To quote your favorite song to sing to us - you are my sunshine.

Funeral Services will be held 3PM Saturday, August 29th at Evoy Funeral Home, 3218 Bayshore Road North Cape May, NJ 08204.  Relatives and friends are invited to pay their respects from 1PM until the time of service.  Interment will be held on the grounds of Tabernacle United Methodist Cemetery, Erma NJ.

In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer donations be made to the Animal Outreach of Cape May County.