Mary Alice Winchell

Mary Alice Winchell was born on August 9, 1953 in Albuquerque New Mexico. Her parents were James Winchell and Alice Winchell (McGee). Mary Alice was a precocious child, an excellent student, attended Madison Junior High and Sandia High School in Albuquerque and the University of New Mexico where she achieved a BA in Sociology.

Her father's work took him out to the remote areas of New Mexico and Mary Alice often tagged along with him. She developed a love of exploring the deserts and mountains and was forever walking in those remote places. She worked for a non-profit supporting indigenous families ensuring their children had everything they needed to attend school. Throughout her life she developed close relationships with the land and the people of New Mexico.

In her teen years she suffered an injury that led her to explore yoga to heal herself and made the decision to become a certified Hatha Yoga instructor. Throughout the rest of her life, no matter what else she did she always was teaching yoga and breathing exercises.

In the 1980's Mary Alice traveled to and lived in Alaska, working a variety of jobs while always developing her own artistic styles, creating unique pieces heavily influenced by her life in the American southwest. She also developed a following of yoga students who appreciated her ability to make yoga easy to understand and adapt to their lives. While in Alaska, Mary Alice began her two primary businesses that she maintained for the rest of her life; art and yoga/breath work. She produced two video products, one introducing yoga for children and another one teaching breathing exercises for people of all ages.

Mary Alice also married while in Alaska on July 4 1992. Michael Kaminski and Mary Alice married in Anchorage and recently celebrated their 32nd anniversary. In addition to her busy life of art and teaching yoga, Mary Alice was always ready for an adventure in the wilds of Alaska. A love of all things natural and wild permeated her life and showed up in her art pieces.

Moving back to New Mexico in 2003, Mary Alice worked full time on her art and yoga businesses. She also renewed her relationships with the friends she had grown up with in Albuquerque. She also worked with the American Lung Association and other non-profits and teaching organizations to spread the use of breathing and stretching exercises among students and people who needed help recovering from breathing problems.

Throughout her life Mary Alice was always ready to take a hike or road trip with her friends, with her dogs and her husband. She loved exploring new places and meeting new people. Mary Alice always, always, always took care of her friends first. And she always made herself available to family and friends and acquaintances, one on one, to talk through difficult times and provide emotional support whenever and wherever needed. She loved spending time with her mother and her stepfather Dick Tyler, taking many trips with them to Hawaii and many places in the southwest.

Mary Alice is survived by her husband of thirty-three years Michael Kaminski and their dogs Gemma and Gracie, her sister Patty, niece Christa and nephew Patrick, great nephews Gabriel and Ezekiel, and cousins from her extended McGee clan. She was preceded in death by her mother Alice, her stepfather Dick Tyler, and her father Jim Winchell.

A celebration of life will be held on Wednesday, February 26 at 11:00 am at FRENCH-Wyoming.