By Nicole Hamilton
The Cincinnati Enquirer

To simply be in Alice Neeley's presence was to know what kind of person she was.

She had the gift of being direct and gentle - which came in handy as a lawyer.

"Everyone who came in contact with her instantly felt her warmth and her incredible zest for life, which she transmitted with every smile. She had boundless energy that she could hardly contain and was seen in the sparkle in her eyes," said her friend and co-worker, Louise Brock of Pleasant Ridge.

Alice J. Neeley died Monday at her home in Mount Washington after an 11-month battle with colon cancer. She was 33.

A lawyer in the labor and employment division of Dinsmore & Shohl LLP for the past four years, Ms. Brock said she "practiced law with professionalism and tenacity, accomplishing results that wowed co-workers and clients. No opposing party could withstand her disarming charm coupled with an uncanny ability to stand her ground."

Raised in Brookville, Ind., Ms. Neeley graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1992, with a bachelor's degree in English.

She taught English in Tulsa - where her fiance Charles Neeley was in flight school - for a year. She returned to Cincinnati to attend UC's College of Law, earning her law degree in 1996.

Before accepting a position with Dinsmore & Shohl, she worked as a management consultant for Adams, Nash & Haskell, Inc..

At home, Ms. Neeley was the devoted mother of a 2-year-old daughter, Rachel.

"Watching her with Rachel always brought a smile to your face," said Ms. Brock.

Her friend, Annah McDowell, said she often watched Ms. Neeley bounce Rachel on her knee and carry her around the house for hours trying to get her to sleep.

"The day Alice died we got a call from a woman who worked in the hospital admitting office. She had only met Alice twice, but she said she felt a connection to her," said her sister, Mary Widdowson, of Phoenix. "And that's the way it was with my sister - this woman sees patients every day, but for some reason, she remembered Alice."

Ms. Brock recalled something similar.

"In the 10 minutes my parents spent with Alice they fell in love with her. For days after, my mother could not stop talking about that young woman with the disarming wit, boundless energy, and never-to-be-forgotten personality."

Besides her husband, daughter, and sister, other survivors include her mother, Nance Widdowson of Batesville; and her father, William Widdowson of Fallbrook, Calif.

A memorial service will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the 20th Century Theater, 3021 Madison Road, Oakley.

Her body was donated to Indiana University's Cancer Center.

Memorials may be made to the Alice J. Neeley Memorial Fund, Fifth Third Bank, 38 Fountain Square Plaza. MD 109026, Cincinnati, OH 45263.

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E-mail nhamilton@enquirer.com