𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝗺𝘀𝗲𝘆 was born on April 1, 1924, and was a proud Tribal member of the Blue Lake Rancheria. She spent her early years in Orleans, Eureka, and Blue Lake, California, and attended Eureka High School, where she played on the girls’ volleyball team. She often reminisced about her childhood along the Klamath River, a place that remained close to her heart.
With a strong connection to the natural world, Alice became self-sufficient at an early age. She was a skilled hunter, forager, fisherman, survivalist, and cook, known for her resilience and practical wisdom. One remarkable story that captured her strength and spirit took place in the Grouse Creek wilderness. While deer hunting with her friend, Ellsworth Carey, she became separated and was lost for two days in the rugged mountains. A massive search effort followed, involving the civil air patrol, bloodhounds, and local law enforcement. While the search teams feared the worst, Alice remained calm and resourceful—building a lean-to from branches and gathering leaves to stay warm, fishing with a safety pin and shoestring, and surviving on crawdads, rose berries, and blackberries. When found, she emerged with only a blister on her heel.
Her response to reporters afterward perfectly captured her grit and humor. Asked if she’d ever go back into the wilderness, she replied, “𝘏𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘺𝘦𝘩, 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭. 𝘐𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵, 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘔𝘳. 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘹 [𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳] 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘐’𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩.” When asked about her next hunting trip, she said, “𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 ‘𝘩𝘰𝘱 𝘪𝘯!’”
In the late 1950s, Alice settled permanently on the Blue Lake Rancheria, where she raised pigs, chickens, and other farm animals, and helped tend a large community garden. She was a phenomenal cook, known for specialties like razor clams, fried chicken, and deer meat stew, which she prepared with warmth and generosity, sharing her meals freely with others.
Alice is remembered for her giving spirit and the way she expressed care through cooking and conversation—each meal a meaningful offering that brought comfort, connection, and a sense of home.
She cherished her family and friends above all else and was deeply respected in the community. Young people would often bring her freshly caught fish or wild game to prepare, knowing she would treat their offerings with care and skill. Alice was resilient, generous, and had a deep commitment to providing for others. She had no prejudice in her heart, treated everyone equally, and lived with integrity and humility. She was also remarkably resourceful, with a strong sense of economy and the ability to make the most of what she had.
Alice enjoyed spending her later years in life living on the Rancheria near her loved ones and next door to her best friend, Flossi Winton. The two were inseparable, often enjoying meals at their favorite local spots like Hunan Village, Whaler’s Inn, and King’s Table. In a fitting tribute to her love of food and community, Blue Lake Casino named one of their restaurants in her honor.
Alice Ramsey’s life helped shape the values of the Blue Lake Rancheria, and her spirit continues through the Tribe’s efforts in food sovereignty, emergency preparedness, and community care.
𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲. Not a day goes by that we don’t feel the absence of your loving heart, your joyful laughter, and the warmth of your kitchen. Your presence is deeply missed, and your memory lives on in every meal shared, every story told, and every moment of kindness we pass forward. 
Originally Published: 4/1/2025