Alice Stavich Klempay

CANFIELD — Alice Stavich Klempay, 87, passed away peacefully at her seasonal home in Canfield on Feb. 13, 2021, following a six-month convalescence.

Alice and her husband, Edward “Butch” Klempay, were residents of Fort Myers, Fla. She passed away with her family at her side, providing care and love throughout her final six months.

Alice was the daughter of Steven S. and Helen Conti Stavich, and grew up in Campbell. An only child, Alice had an unusually close relationship with her beloved mother, who was a remarkable woman in her own right. Her father, Steve Stavich, was the founder of CALEX Corporation, which became the largest privately held aluminum extrusion business in the country.

Alice was a 1952 graduate of East High School. Following high school, she attended Youngstown State University for a year and worked at Youngstown Sheet and Tube before marrying and raising her family.

She moved to Boardman with Butch when they married on Feb. 20, 1954. Later, she worked as a Realtor in the Cleveland area, but she most loved the creativity of designing and decorating the many beautiful homes she built and owned with her husband both in Ohio and Florida.

Following Boardman, they moved to Canfield for six years and then to the east side of Cleveland (Aurora and Bainbridge), where they lived until 1990. In Tanglewood (Bainbridge), Alice enjoyed the pleasures of a close community, where people shared activities and good times together. Alice sought out similar arrangements in her primary residences in Florida throughout the rest of her life, often centered around golf communities. In 1985, Alice opened “Necessities” in Jupiter, Fla., which supplied housewares and linens to vacation and investment properties. She loved running her own business.

Alice worked and played hard to contribute to her community wherever she lived. She updated the annual directory for the Shadow Wood Preserve golf community for many years. Alice entertained often and always was ready to bring food for friends to enjoy. She was a social butterfly, fun-loving, with a great sense of humor, and never boring. She was always a doer and was always fair and generous. She received 91 cards from her family and friends with best wishes for her recovery this fall. How wonderful to be acknowledged by so many. In addition to her family, Alice cherished her friendships, whether lifelong or recently sparked.

Alice’s interests included needlepoint, golf, tennis (when younger), travel (U.S. and overseas), flying in Butch’s Cessna (which did give her a bit of a scare, but she was not going to be left out of a social gathering, even if she had to fly in his plane to get there). She enjoyed card games, including Scrabble and Mahjong, with everyone. In particular, she loved playing Hand and Foot with her grandchildren. She got her first computer at 60, tried new recipes, changed her “look,” moved households at the age of 85, and continued to maintain two homes in two states in her 80s. She thought of each of her children every day and loved all the family pets.

In addition to her husband, Alice is survived by two daughters, Paula Klempay of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and Lisa Klempay (Luc Descloitres) of Missoula, Mont.; two sons, Edward (Marie) Klempay of Bainbridge and Steven Klempay (Robin Kiefer) of Bainbridge; and four grandchildren, Denise, Andrew, Jack and Benjamin Klempay.

Alice was preceded in death by her parents.

COVID-19 permitting, the family hopes to have a celebration of life in Ohio in the summer of 2021 and in Florida in the fall of 2021.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the charity of your choice. Alice loved children and contributed to the Make-A-Wish-Foundation and St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Hospice of the Valley in Mahoning County took good care of Alice and the family. All would be worthy recipients.

Higgins-Reardon Funeral Homes, Boardman-Canfield Chapel is honored to serve the family of Alice and condolences may be made to them at www.higgins-reardon.com.