Loretta McAlpine Obituary

Loretta Hutchins McAlpine

January 23, 2024

Cary, North Carolina - Loretta Hutchins McAlpine of Cary NC died peacefully at home surrounded by her family on January 23, 2024. Born Loretta Virginia Hutchins on February 9th, 1935, in Portsmouth, VA to Nelson Lancelot and Elizabeth Allison Hutchins, Loretta grew up primarily in Portsmouth, VA. While attending Woodrow Wilson High School in Portsmouth she met the love of her life, George Albert McAlpine in January of 1952. On August 1,1952 they married at West End United Methodist Church in Portsmouth VA. Their first child, George was born in Portsmouth followed by their second child, Keith born in Charlottesville VA where George was pursuing his undergraduate degree at UVA. They moved to Orlando, FL for George to join Martin Marietta where they met lifelong friends Warren and Mildred Woolsey. Loretta was seven months pregnant with a third child, a daughter when they moved to Redwood City, CA where George joined Sylvania and pursued his master's degree at Stanford University. Their daughter, Jan, was born in California. Two years later when Loretta was seven months pregnant again, they moved back to Orlando FL where their 4th and final child, Brian, was born. Finally, they moved back to Charlottesville where George completed his PhD at University of Virginia, eventually joining the UVa faculty after working for Sperry Rand.

In the fall of 1981 George and Loretta moved to Cary NC and by 1982 bought a home in Churchill Downs. Loretta said she picked the house because it had "good bones." She loved the Churchill Downs community. Over the years she redid the interior as well as the exterior of the house. Loretta returned to the workforce later in life where she worked for CP&L and after 15 years retired.

Loretta was a devoted wife and mother. She was a wonderful cook. Sunday family dinners were a tradition with frequent guests. While in Charlottesville she and George frequently held cookouts for his graduate students as well as being members of the UVA gourmet dinner club. Loretta also had annual Christmas dessert parties with the desserts all made by her. George and Loretta also played bridge frequently with lifelong friends they met while George worked at Sperry Rand, Bill and Lila Lassiter, and Fran and Judy Lindsey. The six of them often had dinner parties and continued to get together even after George and Loretta moved away.

Loretta loved to read, especially thrillers and mysteries, and passed on the love of reading to her children. She loved flowers and gardening. When feeling down or needing a break, nothing made her happier than digging in the dirt. She and George also took frequent walks around the neighborhood, all the while holding hands. The family went to the beach for a vacation every year. After moving to Cary, this continued with weeklong visits first to Emerald Isle then Myrtle Beach. Card and board games at night times were a must and Loretta loved to win. She also enjoyed playing Sequence with her niece Barb when she visited Loretta and George in Cary.

Jerry Highfill, a former graduate student of George's and who George convinced to move from Charlottesville to Cary for work, helped George and Loretta rediscover their faith and Methodist membership by joining Saint Francis United Methodist Church. Loretta and George joined the Prime Timers, enjoying the dinner club and the monthly breakfast meetings.

Loretta was predeceased by her parents and her brother, Billy. Loretta is survived by her most beloved husband George Albert McAlpine Sr. of Cary; her son, George McAlpine Jr. and wife Cindy Barnier of Garner; her son, Keith McAlpine of Cary; her daughter Jan Thomas and husband Bradley Thomas of Cary; her son, Brian McAlpine and wife Shari Woolsey McAlpine of Fernandina Beach, FL; Four grandchildren, Ian McAlpine (Megan) of South Carolina; Kathleen Gamache (Joseph) of Indianapolis; Elizabeth Segovia (Robert) of Durham; Duncan McAlpine of Garner; two great grandchildren Oliver and Audrey Gamache of Indianapolis. She is also survived by her brother, Nelson Hutchins (Peggy) of Chesapeake VA, her special niece Barbara Ronan of Palmyra, VA plus many more extended family and friends.

A Memorial will be held on February 3rd at 1:00 at Saint Francis United Methodist Church at 2965 Kildaire Farm Road in Cary. A light reception and visitation will follow at the church.