Alice Marie (Wick) Laechelt December 23, 1933 ~ December 16, 2011 Alice Marie was born to Anton and Mabel (Lund) Wick on December 23, 1933. She grew up two miles northeast of Montevideo on the family farm. Alice was raised on the farm and attended school in Montevideo. She was baptized and confirmed at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Montevideo. She graduated from Montevideo High School in 1952. She worked at JC Penney while in high school. In 1950 Alice and some friends attended a dance at Gladys Ballroom, where she met the man who would soon be her husband. Merlyn and Alice had a fairy tale romance as they had fallen in love the first time they saw each other across the dance floor--it was love at first sight. Alice married Merlyn Delon Laechelt on June 15, 1952, at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Montevideo, and then moved to the family farm west of Clarkfield. To this union they were blessed with six children: Julie, Janet, June, Michael, Mark and Merle. Alice and Merlyn farmed the Laechelt family farm until Merlyn's death on May 10, 2003. She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church, rural Boyd, where she actively participated in Circle, making meals and serving parishioners. Most of Alice's time was spent raising and loving her children and husband. Getting a few hours away from the family farm, they joined a doubles bowling league in Montevideo. As children graduated and left home, Alice and Merlyn spent countless hours together, you never saw one without the other. They loved to visit and spent many hours visiting and sharing family stories. Alice loved to cook for the many children who worked on the farm picking rocks and pulling weeds. It was always great to have homemade bread and the many varieties of hot dishes that she created. No one ever went hungry when Alice cooked. She was very creative when it came to making food for the 'masses.' She was praised by parents, impressed that she actually got their kids to eat leftovers! Alice moved to Valhalla Apartments in 2007 and enjoyed the community environment. She loved being a Grandmother. She spent as much time playing with (and feeding) them as possible. She excelled at sharing pictures of new grandchildren, bragging at every opportunity. She loved the cards, letters and drawings that she received, always hanging them in a predominant place for all the neighbors to see. Alice always had a picture or a drawing from the great grandchildren that she shared with anyone and everyone. She loved to play Bingo at Valhalla as this was the perfect time to share stories about her family. Alice passed away on Friday evening at Sylvan Place in Canby at the age of 77 years, 11 months and 23 days. She is survived by her children: Julie (Bill) Ward and their children Kendra (Great Grandchildren Nicole and Alex), Travis and Dustin of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Janet (Alfred) Pierce of Clarkfield and their children Stephanie (Nathan) Sharp of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Douglas and Katlyn of Clarkfield, June Laechelt of Willmar, Minnesota, Michael Laechelt of Hoffman, Minnesota, Mark (Natalie) Laechelt of Boyd and their children Kimberly (Neil) Orwig (Great Grandchildren Amanda and Tiffany) of Ridgecrest, California, and Myracle (Aaron) Walton (Great Granddaughter Mary Jane) of Henderson, Nevada, and Merle Laechelt of Canby, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her husband, Merlyn; her parents; brothers: Edward and Clifford Wick; sister, Solvieg Belseth; and Great Grandson, Maxwell Walton. Blessed be her memory. In Loving Memory of ALICE M. LAECHELT Visitation Monday, December 19, 2011, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Lynner Funeral Home, Clarkfield, Minnesota Funeral Service Tuesday, December 20, 2011 ~ 10:30 a.m. Zion Lutheran Church, Tyro Township Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota Officiant, Pastor Loren Kruse Scripture Readings Isaiah 52:7-10 Hebrews 1:1-6 John 1:1-14 Organists Kathy Rathbun Kathy Jahn Congregational Hymns "Amazing Grace" "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say" "God Loves Me Dearly" "On Eagles' Wings" Casket Bearers Travis Ward ~ Ed Wick Bill Wieberg ~ Eric Jahn Marlin Satre ~ Todd Cole Final Resting Place Zion Lutheran Cemetery Tyro Township, Yellow Medicine County Boyd, Minnesota Arrangements by Lynner Funeral Home Since 1891 Clarkfield Minnesota