Alice "Alison" Helene Golding Sparhawk passed away on March 15, 2015, at the Hospice House in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, from pancreatic cancer.

She was born Dec. 25, 1947, in Newton, Mass., to Lewis Leo Golding, Sr., and Gladys Lillian Arnold. She had eight brothers: Charles, Peter, Paul, Lewis, John, Joseph, Thomas and James; and three sisters: Mary, Carol and Shirley.

Alison grew up in Newton Highlands and attended Newton South High School. She married T. W. Frank on Aug. 19, 1967, and they were later divorced.

Alison married Mark Beveridge Sparhawk, Sr., on Nov. 27, 1975, in Nashua, N.H. She and Mark eloped on Thanksgiving day much to the surprise of their parents. Mark's brothers, Don and Frank, attended the ceremony. Then they all went home for Thanksgiving dinner.

Alison and Mark lived in Nashua and moved to Modesto, Calif., in 1976 and later to Stockton, Calif. They moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, in 1995.

For several years Alison worked as a nurse's aide in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and then worked as a teacher's aide in Stockton. She worked for several years for Zip's Drive-in in Coeur d'Alene, working up to the position of manager. Special friends at Zips' were Tammy and Nancy. When her co-workers learned of her diagnosis in November, they threw a big party for her which made her very happy. Other friends dedicated the back room at Gus's Cigar Pub to her memory naming it Ali Cat Alley.

Alison loved to write stories and poems. She enjoyed doing various crafts.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lewis and Gladys; husband Mark; daughter Stephanie Suzanne Sparhawk; brother John R. Golding of Franklin, Mass.; and sisters Shirley L. DeMaio of Colebrook, N.H., and Mary Murphy of Natick, Mass.

Alison is survived by her son, Mark Beveridge (Natalie) Sparhawk, Jr., of San Mateo, Calif.; boyfriend Bob Bean of Hayden, Idaho, who cared for her during her illness; best friend Laurie Schneider of Coeur d'Alene; and siblings Charles (Lee) Golding of Bellingham, Mass.; Peter (Sindi) Golding of Quincy, Mass.; Paul (Brenda) Golding of Colorado; Lewis (Tanya) Golding and Joseph Golding of Franklin, Mass., Thomas Golding of Newton, Mass., and James (Marilyn) Golding of Watertown, Mass.; and sister, Carol Murphy of Bellingham, Mass.,

The family would like to thank Bob Bean, her doctors and the staff at Hospice House for their kind care of Alison in her final days.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, at Gus's Cigar Pub on 19th and Sherman in Coeur d'Alene. Please bring a potluck dish.

Alison and Marks' ashes will be scattered in Lake Champlain near the home of Mark's late grandparents, George Hall Sparhawk, Sr. and Catherine Weaver Winter Sparhawk at Porter's Point, Colchester, Vt., where Mark spent many happy days with his family.

Arrangements are being made by Yates Funeral Home.