Dr. Reiss started life as a child of a hard working German immigrant family
during the Great Depression. A life-threatening illness in her childhood
caused her to set her sights on a career in medical services. She earned a BA in Microbiology at the University of Kansas and became a Registered
Medical Technician at the KU Medical Blood Bank in Kansas City, KS.
She left the Mid-West to work at Ortho Pharmaceutical Corp. in New Jersey and spent several years as a biochemical lab technician in the field of serology. During her time at Ortho she worked closely with her hero, Dr. Philip Levine and Dr. Heron Singher. Dr. Reiss wrote Ortho's lecture series outline which was used for over 20 years while she & colleagues taught cutting edge research at conferences. Encouraged by her employers to pursue more education, she received a Master's Degree in Zoology in1959 and a PhD in Immunology in 1962, both from Rutgers University. She was then promoted to a Senior Scientist at Ortho. Dr. Reiss remained on her career track within Ortho Diagnostics which was by then affiliated with Johnson & Johnson. In 1966 she was a pioneer in being the first woman to receive the Ortho Research Fellow Award and then again in1970 when she received the Ortho Distinguished Contribution Award for her role in developing a revolutionary slide test for pregnancy. From 1972 to 1985, Dr. Reiss was again honored to be the first woman to serve on the Board of Directors for Ortho Diagnostics or any Johnson & Johnson partner. Dr. Reiss retired from the Ortho in 1985 and began scientific consulting for companies outside of the United States, with the International Executive Service Corps. She served in Brazil & France.
Relocating to the Kansas City area to be near her brothers,
Alice resumed her lifelong interest in producing art. She displayed her watercolor paintings at a wide venue of art shows. As an active member of the Greater Kansas City Art Association, she was the Chairman of the annual Art Show at the Metcalf South Shopping Center for several years. In 1995 she was the featured artist at a reception at The National Agricultural Hall of Fame displaying a large selection of watercolors depicting farm life.

A Celebration of Life for Alice will be held on Sunday, January 5, 2014, from 2-4 PM at the Lakeview Village Heritage Center, 9000 Park St. Lenexa, KS. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to the Adelaide C. Ward Women's Heart Health Center Fund @ the University of Kansas Hospital, please make donations payable to: The KU Endowment and mail to: The University of Kansas Hospital, Fund Development, 2330 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Suite 302, Westwood, KS 66205 or a charitable organization of your choice in her name.