Alice passed away peacefully at home on November 16, 2012 after a courageous, year-long battle with cancer. She was born on August 22, 1940 in Woodbury, MN to Robert and Rosella Deneen. She was baptized at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Woodbury MN. She and her 15 siblings grew up in St. Paul Park, MN. She married Donald Ziegler on February 14, 1956 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in St. Paul Park. Don and Alice lived in Inver Grove, MN; Hudson, WI and Thompson Grove, MN before moving to the Ziegler Family Farm in Star Prairie in 1963. After farming for 37 years, they moved to their "retirement home" one mile away in 2000.
Don and Alice have 7 children, Greg Ziegler, Bonnie (Steve) Davel, Audrey (Tim) Reichersamer, Nancy (Merle) Ausen, Roberta (Robert) Aeschliman, Ben Ziegler, and Molly Ziegler.
They had 14 Grandchildren and 7 Great Grandchildren. They include Andy Ziegler, Tom Davel and his wife Nicole; children Leah and Nolan, Scott Davel and his wife Kayla and son Carter, Charlie Davel (deceased), Jessica Smiley and her husband Christopher; children Connor, Jossalin and Jacee. Oscar Reichersamer, Sam Ausen and his daughter MacKenzie, Rosie Ausen, Amy Ausen, Lisa Ausen, Christopher Aeschliman, Michael Aeschliman, Laura Aeschliman, and newest granddaughter (born May 2012), Allison Marie Rhine.
Alice was preceded in death by her Parents; her siblings, James, Helen, Ray, Ralph, Irene, Mary Ann and Bobbie, and her grandson, Charlie Davel.
She is survived by her husband, her children, 13 grandchildren and her great grandchildren. She is also survived by 8 siblings, Betty Marty, Dave Deneen, Phillip Deneen, Mike Deneen, Judy Elton, Sandie Plan, Linda Vallant, and Eileen Newman as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and other relatives and friends.
Alice loved spending time with family and friends. She will be remembered for being sweet, loving and compassionate. She loved to cook, bake, decorate cakes, watch and feed the birds, do crossword puzzles and jigsaw puzzles, listen to Elvis, and go to Musicals. She enjoyed travel and had hoped to do more. Her children and grandchildren appreciate all the things she taught them, including how to drive a stick shift, bake cookies, make lefse, decorate a cake, feed the calves, and take care of babies. She will be missed for her loving ways and love of life.
Memorials appreciated to The Adoray Hospice program in Baldwin, WI; The American Cancer Society, or the Charity of your choice.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 20, 20120 at St. Joesph Catholic Church, 1050 Keller Avenue North, Amery, WI. Visitation will be 1 hour prior to services at the church on Tuesday. Interment will be at the Wagon Landing Cemetery in rural Amery.