Obituary from Holman Funeral Home of Ozark – Ozark, Alabama
Alene June Peters Sitton, age 94, passed away peacefully in her sleep in the early morning hours of April 13, 2026, at the home of her spiritually adopted sons, Lawrence “Trace” Baxter and Thomas Stephens, in Dothan, Alabama.
She was surrounded by love after a long and courageous life marked by resilience, devotion, and quiet strength. She had battled a heart condition for decades and, more recently, bronchial pneumonia and hyponatremia.
In keeping with the wishes of the family, there are no public services planned for Mrs. Sitton. Holman Funeral Home of Ozark has been entrusted with the arrangements. Alene will be cremated, and her ashes will be held alongside those of her husband for future interment at Newton Cemetery. Condolences may be expressed at www.HolmanFuneralHome.com
Alene was born on June 9, 1931, in Summerfield, Illinois, a small rural village in St. Clair County that reflected the close-knit, hardworking spirit of early 20th-century America. Like many communities of that era, Summerfield felt the effects of the Great Depression, shaping a generation defined by perseverance and resourcefulness. Her family later relocated to Gentry, Arkansas, where she would meet the love of her life and future husband of 72 years.
Those who knew Alene will remember her remarkable storytelling—vivid, almost cinematic reflections of her childhood, her parents and grandparents, and the defining moments that shaped her life. Among those was her extraordinary survival and recovery after sustaining severe burns over half her body at the age of thirteen, when she ran back into her family’s burning home to rescue an infant sibling. That act of courage and selflessness would come to define the spirit with which she lived the rest of her life.
Alene’s life was one of humble achievements and unwavering resolve. As the wife of a military serviceman, she embraced the demands of military life with grace while also helping to run a farm alongside her husband. She later became a Licensed Practical Nurse and dedicated many years to caring for infants at a daycare and preschool, where her nurturing presence left a lasting impact. She was a devoted mother to two adopted children and a surrogate grandmother to many—both within her family and beyond. To all who knew her, Alene was a steadfast friend, offering kindness, warmth, and quiet wisdom.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Alfred Edward Peters and Elsie Adeline Thrall Peters Vanderhoef; her siblings Aaron Arthur Peters, Warren Reese Peters, Verna Lorraine Peters, Alfred John Peters, and Robert Ralph Peters; her beloved husband, Tommie E. Sitton, MSG (Retired); and her adopted children, David Sitton and Verna Sitton.
She is survived by her youngest brother, Don Lyle Peters Vanderhoef, and sister-in-law, Katy Vanderhoef, of Panama City, Florida; her spiritually adopted sons, Lawrence “Trace” Baxter and Thomas Stephens, of Dothan, Alabama; sister-in-law Christine Peters; numerous nieces and nephews and a wide circle of extended family and dear friends.
The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to the hospice and home health team at Gentiva Hospice, to Carole Richberg and the dedicated volunteers of the Newton Senior Center for their years of support and daily meal deliveries, and to the many friends and family members who offered comfort and care during this time.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Alene’s memory are encouraged to make donations in her memory to the Newton Senior Center or to organizations dedicated to combat memory-related diseases affecting the aging population.
