Alice was born in 1929 in Lackawanna, New York to Joseph and Mary Kuczka (“KUSH-ka”), the third of four siblings, and grew up in Hamburg, New York.  Her mother married at 14, and had 3 of her 4 children before she turned 21.  Her father wanted to be a photographer, but had to settle for working in the steel plants.  It was the start of the Great Depression.  Needless to say, it was a difficult childhood.  She didn’t often speak of it, though there were a few things that brought her joy: the chicks they raised, the garden, and visiting her grandmother’s gravesite.

Alice attended Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1950. After graduation, she worked as a social worker in Buffalo, New York. It was there she met Albert Faustini, a young engineer working at General Electric.  Alice and Al were married in 1954. Shortly thereafter, the couple embarked on a 14-month adventure, driving around the US, Canada, and Mexico in a laundry truck that they had converted into a camper dubbed “The Happy Wanderer” before RVs had been invented. They camped, hiked, skied, visited family, and finally looked for work as they travelled around 28,000 miles.

After the trip, they landed in Boston for a couple of years where their first child, Paul, was born.  A business opportunity brought them to Oakland, California in 1957. There they settled and raised their four children: Paul, Kathy, John, and Mary.  They passed on their love of the outdoors to the kids on frequent outings to local parks, picnics, and family camping trips, including a trip to Oakland’s family camp at Camp Tuolumne only a few weeks after Mary was born. 

Al and Alice divorced in 1972, but remained on amicable terms, with the whole family celebrating holidays together even after Alice’s subsequent remarriage.  Alice married Alonza Johnson in 1974, and they enjoyed sailing, work, and travel together.  Shortly after marrying Alonza, Alice began taking classes at Merritt Community College, overcoming her initial discomfort at being older than most of the other students.  In her 50s, with all but Mary out of the house, Alice fulfilled a lifelong interest in medicine and attended nursing school, graduating in 1982.  She worked for several years until rheumatoid arthritis made the work too difficult.  

Alice and Al embarked on many travels to exotic places, including Morocco, Brazil, Italy, Spain, Greece, the Caribbean, and China.  Alice was passionate about dancing, enjoying both ballroom and square dancing.  She also enjoyed games of all sorts, particularly backgammon and bridge.  She loved her home in the trees in the Oakland Hills and the flowers that filled her garden. 

The births of her grandchildren Michaela in 1994 and Kaitlyn in 1996 added a new dimension to Alice’s life.  She was a proud grandma who showered the grandchildren with gifts and attention.  There were many visits to the Oakland Zoo, shopping trips, and other outings.  Grandma’s refrigerator was covered with photos of the girls and artwork by the girls.

In her latter years Alice suffered from many illnesses.  She was a strong-willed person who did not easily accept the limitations that these ailments imposed.  She and Al continued to travel—on cruises, visits to resorts and time shares, trips to Alaska to visit her daughter Mary, and holiday family gatherings at Dave and Kathy’s home in San Luis Obispo.  When not traveling, Alice pursued a variety of passions, including knitting, flower arranging, and collecting clothing, art, and jewelry.

After Al suffered a major stroke in November 2007, it became clear that a large 5-bedroom, 3-level house was more than Alice and Al could manage.  In the spring of 2008, with the help of the children, they downsized to a 2-bedroom townhome in the Rossmoor retirement community in Walnut Creek, where Alice enjoyed the natural setting and got a thrill from frequent sightings of deer, wild turkeys, and other critters in and around their yard.  Eventually Alice’s continued health issues and geographic separation from family made independent living unsustainable.  In 2012 Alice and Al moved to San Luis Obispo to be closer to her daughter Kathy’s family. Unfortunately she was plagued by increasing health problems that hampered her ability to enjoy family activities.

Alice is survived by her husband Al Johnson of Morro Bay, brother Joseph Kuczka of Colorado; son Paul Faustini of West Hartford, Connecticut; daughter Kathy Keil and her husband Dave of San Luis Obispo; son John Faustini and his wife Jeanne Negley of Atlanta, Georgia; and daughter Mary Price and her husband Rand of Eagle River, Alaska; and by granddaughters Michaela and Kaitlyn Keil.