Alicia Bland

Alicia Bland (Sefcik) was born September 19, 1947, in Brooklyn, New York to Emile and Helen Sefcik. She attended Our Lady of Consolation Elementary School and St Joseph's High School in Brooklyn. Much of her youth was spent with her cousin Helena Ryllo and friend Dorothy Kulikowski. Alicia remained close friends with both throughout her life. Growing up near the epicenter of culture and art, Alicia loved seeing live music. She met David Bowie in the 60’s and he gave her a personalized, autographed photo. In December 1969, she married John Bland in a small ceremony attended by the immediate family. The couple resided in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island before moving to New Jersey in 1973. Alicia's first steady employment was with Matchbox. She loved gifting matchbox cars to friends and reveled in the smile that emerged on children’s faces when they opened a new package. Eventually she held a number of positions in the finance and insurance industries. Not as much fun! Their first son, Geoffrey Bland, was born in 1976. Their second son, Evan Bland, was born three years later. Six weeks after Evan’s birth, Alicia moved to Hong Kong with her young family. Alicia loved her time living abroad. She learned how to cook Asian food while there and enjoyed taking in the local sites. They returned to New Jersey in 1981. Five years after returning to the US, she moved with her family to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. While there, Alicia became an avid gardener, turning their backyard into a colorful oasis filled with vibrant flowers and delectable vegetables (unfortunately the deer found them delicious as well). Alicia was intimate with the biological names of her plantings which caused her friends Fred and Mary Hoban to comment, “she’s speaking Latin again”. One of Alicia’s favorite past times was taking walks in Longwood Gardens. She admired the different flowers abloom there and enjoyed the variety of gardens throughout the grounds. Alicia delighted friends and family with her exceptional and diverse cooking skills. She was well known for her delicious Spinach Pies, tasty Singapore noodles and mouthwatering Lasagna. Alicia was always trying new recipes and had a knack for spotting scrumptious variations on common foods, like zucchini latkes and vegetarian Pad Thai. Alicia loved hosting parties. Her hospitable and friendly nature made guests feel right at home. It wasn’t unusual for her to spend more time bustling about the kitchen making sure everything was in order than sitting down at the table. While in Kennett, Alicia worked as a bookkeeper for Dorothy Fahs, a noted philanthropist and family member of the founders of the Unitarian Church. In addition to Alicia’s attention to detail, Dorothy valued her friendship. The work proved to be rewarding while also allowing her to be an attentive and loving mother. Motherhood was by far, the job Alicia valued most in life. She deeply adored her two sons and attended all of their sporting events with enthusiasm. She instilled her love of cooking and gardening in her boys while always encouraging them to follow their own paths. In 2010, Alicia and John relocated to Miromar Lakes Florida. Alicia taught herself how to garden in a more tropical climate, albeit with a sweatband. She particularly enjoyed growing bromeliads, orchids, and local plants. While in Florida, Alicia was a member of their community landscaping board. Always a thoughtful caregiver, Alicia and John moved to Windsor, Colorado to be near their granddaughter, Sydney, in early 2015. She loved her days caring for Sydney as a baby and the two formed a special bond. Sydney was particularly fond of her grandmother’s pancakes. Alicia was deeply appreciative for what she had in life and never took the simple things for granted. She delighted in the beauty that surrounded her and brought joy to those she encountered with her thoughtful gestures. Alicia is survived by her husband, John Bland, her sons, Geoffery Bland, and Evan Bland (Ariana Friedlander), her granddaughter, Sydney Bland, her sister Susan and her brother Gary (and Susan) Sefcik, and her niece and nephews. I lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Alicia’s name to any of the following organizations, Audubon Society, Anschutz Cancer Research, or Longwood Gardens. Please follow the links provided for donation submission online: Anschutz Cancer Research https://giving.cu.edu/fund/cancer-center-general-research-fund Audubon Society https://act.audubon.org/a/donate-fwpurple?ms=digital-fund-web-website_nas-topmenu_donatepurple_20240100&aud_cta=top-nav_primary-btn&aud_path=/&_gl=1*oo1tl5*_ga*MTM4NzE2MjI0OC4xNzExNzI5NjEz*_ga_X2XNL2MWTT*MTcxMTcyOTYxMi4xLjAuMTcxMTcyOTYyMS41MS4wLjA Longwood Gardens https://longwoodgardens.org/support/honor-and-memorial-gifts A celebration of life is being planned by the family for some time in the summer of this year.

Alicia Bland

March 29, 2024