Alyce Joyce (Taylor) Archuleta

The Archuleta and Taylor families are mourning the loss of Alyce, our shining star member. Alyce was born on September 10, 1942, in Hamilton, Texas to Peter W. and Margaret E. Taylor. She was their second daughter.

There were four members in the Taylor sibling group. It was a marvelous childhood filled with playing, reading, gardening, camping, learning a variety of skills and music. Alyce loved music and sang, played the flute and piccolo as well as the piano and organ.

In 1945, the family moved to San Fernando, California, but the California stint was brief and in December of 1948, a move to Spencer, Idaho, was made.  Alyce learned about deep snow and playing in snow caves dug by her dad.  She attended a one-room school house where this bright child helped the teacher teach her first-grade classmates to read since she already could!

In 1949, the family moved to Shelley, Idaho, where Alyce attended the Shelley schools until her senior year of high school when a move was made to Idaho Falls. She graduated as an honor student from Bonneville High School in 1960. That fall, she enrolled at the University of Idaho and went on to graduate Phi Beta Kappa and Cum Laude with a degree in English in 1964.

In the fall of 1964, Alyce got a job as a junior high teacher in Oak Harbor, Washington. She taught English and German to 7th and 9th graders and was loved and respected. Alyce worked at a “5th year” in education and was badly bitten by the travel bug when she spent a summer in Japan and then a summer in Mexico as part of her programs. In 1969, she enrolled in the Library School at the University of Washington and left teaching behind to become a librarian. As part of the program, she went to San Diego, California, as an intern in the San Diego City Public Library System.

While there, she found a handsome, dark-haired young man across a library desk. Michael Archuleta became the driving force for Alyce choosing to return to San Diego as an employee. The job and the guy were both great choices and she and Michael were married on November 29, 1970. Michael was the love of her life  and they enjoyed a remarkable life together. In addition to their library careers (which included a work exchange in Sydney, Australia in 1983-1984), they enjoyed international travel, dabbled in the real estate industry, owned a tapestry shop, bought and managed a couple of apartment buildings and moved many times to renovate and live in places they loved.

Following retirement, Alyce participated in political campaigns and library support groups. She and Michael, always avid about exercise, had even more time for long walks around San Diego. They loved the theater and much reading. And there were many more travels to far off lands.

Dementia encroached on Alyce’s life about 10 years ago, and finally took it. Michael and his sister lovingly cared for her at home throughout the long good-bye. She’s taken off on her last adventure and will wait for Michael to join her one day. Vaya con Dios, our beloved Alyce.

A memorial service will be held at Rose Hill Cemetery on August 13, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at Gravesite WP 31,12,N3. The memorial is to be followed by a gathering at 3:30 p.m. at Smitty’s Pancake and Steak House in Idaho Falls. Please join us if you remember Alyce.