Tribute

Alice Morrill Bejnar of Tallahassee died peacefully following a brief illness on July 24, under the care of Big Bend Hospice. She was 73. The daughter of Sarah Sealey Morrill and Thomas Morrill, Alice was born in Santa Cruz, California December 1, 1951, with her twin brother John. Her family moved to Tallahassee in 1954, where she attended public school, graduating from Florida High in 1969. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work at Florida State University. Following in her mother’s footsteps – Sarah was the founding director of the Apalachee Center in Tallahassee – Alice pursued a professional career in social work with a focus on children and families. Highlights include her being a drug and alcohol counselor for New River Mental Health in Boone, North Carolina, where she made many lifelong friends, including her first husband, Kenn Hochstetler. Following their return to Tallahassee in 1980, she was a case manager in the Early Steps program at Children’s Home Society, and later for Children’s Medical Services at the Florida Department of Health. Prior to retirement, she was associated with the Autism Institute at Florida State University. In her personal life, Alice maintained her dedication to helping others, whether by being a good neighbor or volunteering in state and federal prisons. She was a beloved member of the Grassroots Community on Old St. Augustine Road, where she lived for 33 years. For much of her life, she had a passionate interest in the Sacred Harp tradition of four-part a cappella hymn singing and gathered (early 1990s) the thriving group that now sings at several locations around Tallahassee each month. For many years, she was a member of the Tallahassee Friends (Quaker) Meeting, where she was active in religious education, ecumenical collaborations, and peace and social justice efforts, including opposition to the death penalty. Late in life, she took an interest in Catholicism, particularly inspired by the lives of women saints. Alice was also an artist of sorts and an appreciator of artistic expression. She doodled endlessly, and although usually “incomplete,” her work is intricate and pretty. Occasionally, she’d complete something, like her “Peace is Healthy for Children and Other Living Things,” her spin on the anti-war poster of similar appearance, and her “Mrs. Goatie” watercolor reminiscent of her childhood lectures, from a tree stump, to the family’s goats. She was an unabashed supporter of Etsy artisans, especially those who wove tea towels, crocheted washcloths, and strung amber necklaces and stone bracelets. Much of her home's tableware is from skilled potters, and nearly all the rest is “vintage,” some from family and friends, but most via Etsy. A memorial service for Alice will be held in the manner of Friends at the Quaker Meeting House, 2001 S. Magnolia Drive, on September 20, 2025.

Friends & Family

Alice is survived by Tor Bejnar, her husband of 28 years, brothers David Morrill of Cuenca, Ecuador, and John Morrill of Tallahassee, her sons Daniel Hochstetler of St. Petersburg and Jesse Hochstetler of Tallahassee, and stepchildren Satya “Nic” Stark-Bejnar of Tallahassee and Krystal Lavenne of New York City. In addition to family, her dear friends, especially including Robin Rudicell, Rebecca Keeter, Kenn Hochstetler, Susan Taylor, Vicki Mariner, and Rebecca Miles, supported her during her final illness as they had throughout her life. Alice made it clear that she’d appreciate memorial gifts being made to the Sarah Sealey Morrill Scholarship Fund (F05258S) at the Florida State University College of Social Work, 325 W. College Ave., Tallahassee, FL 32301. You may contribute through give.fsu.edu, or contact Paige McKay Kubik at 404-895-4210 for assistance. The Sarah Sealey Morrill Scholarship Fund supports FSU social work students committed to the field of community mental health. Donations in Alice’s name to the Big Bend Hospice Foundation would also be appreciated: they took such good care of her.