Alice Ann Muhlhauser

Alice Ann (Howes) Muhlhauser, our beloved mother and matriarch to the family passed away peacefully on October 18th, 2026 in Lakewood, Colorado, surrounded by loved ones in her home. Alice was born on March 3rd, 1945 in Denver, Colorado to the late Anne Marie (Regan) Howes and Joseph LaCroix “Ty” Howes.

A Colorado native, Alice grew up in Denver with three older brothers, Jim, Ed, and Chuck. She graduated from Holy Family High School and retained many close friendships from her childhood for over seventy years.

At the age of 22, Alice moved to New York City to start a new life in Manhattan. She had fun in the big city with the nightlife and her new friend group. While in New York, she met Riccardo Pacini, recently emigrated from Italy, and they moved back to Colorado where they married in 1969. Riccardo and Alice had two children, Karina and Brian. They separated in 1975.

After their divorce, Alice continued to be the cornerstone to a large and loving family, including fourteen nieces and nephews. She hosted many family gatherings, with over 50 years of vibrant Christmas parties–where Santa Clause showed up and gave gifts to each person who attended. Alice was also very close with her mother Anne who spent the last five years living under her care.

A single mom, Alice was an uber parent–the team mom, classroom parent, a well-run household, and always being an active part of her children's lives–in many ways their number one cheerleader. She also helped watch many nieces and nephews and started a lucrative career in sales.

Alice worked very hard and became a successful businesswoman in a male dominated industry, enabling her, later in life, to take her kids and their families, and her stepkids Mark Muhlhauser and Kathy (Ron) Catron and their children on sixteen family vacations and to go on seventeen cruises around the world with her second husband–visiting many countries and touching down on six continents.

In 1986, Alice married Lawrence “Mike” Muhlhauser, merging families and continued building a loving life and marriage. Mike was the love of her life, and she passed away on their forty year wedding anniversary, almost two months after Mike’s passing.

Of all her accomplishments and roles, Alice loved being a grandmother the most–to Xander, Vivi, Anna, and Bella, all who are close in age and very tight with each other. And to Mike’s grandkids, Heather, Sean, Kylee, Garrett, and Kendrick who she included in many trips and family celebrations and loving traditions.

Alice started and carried on many traditions with her grandkids including weekly dinners, where she would pick the kids up at school, take them for ice cream, then return to their Lakewood home where Karina, Brian and both Mikes (husband and son-in-law) would join to eat a delicious meal and partake in heated basketball games and good conversation–creating a night off of cooking for her kids who were working and good quality time with her grandkids. Other traditions included her famous Huff Puff children stories–custom tales she would spin for wide eyed children where she made us the hero of the story, Christmas hobbytrain parties, teddy bear teas, I love you calls, and “plane” money–envelopes with cash for trips–sharing her love of travel. Many of these traditions are carried on by her kids and dear nieces Diane and Melissa, showing that the love she had from her mom, Anne, and for her kids, grandkids and family is enduring and timeless.

Alice is survived by her children Karina (Michael) Gaylord and Brian Pacini; her brother Chuck Howes, her amazing grandchildren, Xander, Vivianna “Vivi”, Anna, and Bella, many loving nieces and nephews, her stepfamily and many wonderful friends. In addition to her parents, Alice was preceded in death by her husband Mike, her brothers James and Edward Howes and her beloved nephews Greg and Paul Howes.

Memorial services will take place at Elk’s Lodge #17 in North Denver on Saturday, November, 28th, 2026 from 1 pm to 5 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dave’s Locker or Wounded Warriors in Alice Muhlhauser’s name