I’ve been out working all day - Mrs Dye would have approved - and when I finally checked messages this evening there were about five of them about Alice.
It’s really heartbreaking news. If Mrs Dye hadn’t bothered to answer my letters when I was in college, there’s no way I would be doing what I’m doing today. And the same is true for many many others in this business, or anyone who ever worked for me.
Aside from that, as I’ve written here before, I don’t think many have understood how much Alice contributed to Pete’s success. I was only on the job at Long Cove for a week or two when I heard one of the crew (PB’s roommate Steve Lucciola) say, “Nothing is finished until Miss Allie says it’s okay.” There were lots of people on site who could express an opinion, but Alice’s opinion always meant the most to Pete. She was his sounding board over whether to make it harder or gentler or whether he had it right.
There would be a lot more great architects if only they had someone they could rely on for that thumbs-up, instead of the people they listen to now.