Alice Anne Wisner

"Our Aunt Alice is the last survivor of the members of that greatest of generations that were linked to the extended family Ira and Annie Laurie Wisner. Throughout my childhood every September included a trip to Center, MO for Annie Lauries birthday celebration, which was nothing less than an annual family reunion. Every year my Mom, Lucille, would say, We have to go to Grandmas birthday, because this could be the last one. As many of you know, the last one was 101, so I traveled to at least 20 possible last ones. Every year Alices husband, my Uncle Jim, would manage to be present all the way from California, driving his station wagon across the country selling Lindy Pens and timing the trip so Center, MO would be the destination on or about September 6.
The integrity of Jim and Alice, Mary Belle and Thomas, Pearl, Dick and Velma, and Lucille and Richard was at a level that is sadly and frankly unmatched in our society today. They are all an inspiration to me, and I feel so blessed to have known them and been influenced by them. It is ironic that Aunt Alice lived the longest of them all perhaps we should all take note that she did whatever she could to avoid doctors and prescription medications I have enjoyed reading the postings of her granddaughters which bring back memories that my family was able to share on some occasions. My eldest daughter, especially, remembers the frequent trips to Escondido and the fun she had with her great aunt and uncle and her second cousins. Alices love and concern for others will be sorely missed. She has been ready for many years to move on to her reward and be reunited with her husband and other loved ones and to meet our Lord in person, and I am happy for the joy she must be experiencing in eternity. This does not stop the tears from flowing as I write this, for we must all deal with our grief for our loss here. May we all be comforted by the peace that passes understanding."

"Mom, you lived a life of love for your family and leave behind a legacy of strong faith and generosity. Rest in Peace.
Rosie"

"Dear Mom,
Thank you for making it so easy to put your funeral services together. You wrote the petitions, chose the songs, the readings, and prepared all of us to accept your passing. All of the generations were there to say farewell, wonderful woman We miss you, we are sad, and at the same time we are thankful for your long and fruitful life, for the legacy of family you left, for the way you lived and for the way you died, loved and cared for by family to your last breath. May all you longed for be realized in the sacred hearts of Jesus and His Mother, Mary. Until we meet merrily in heaven Love from John and Sharon"

"Grandma, whenever I think of you I see a garden vine of green leaves and flowers twining around your image. You believed that the glory of God shaped every leaf and formed every flower and that nurtured your piety. Plants and prayers delineated every day of your life.

Born into your life during your late 40s, my first memories of you and Grandpa are of sitting in the kitchen watching you peel and crush avocados picked from the avocado tree in the back yard of your Culver City, California home. The tree was so large that even when Grandpa wrapped his arms around the trunk his fingers wouldnt touch. Sweeping up the layer of the dark leaves was always on the todo list when any grandchild visited. You left a set of childsized brooms and dustpans by the back door that the McDermott cousins and I would use to complete our leaf sweeping chores.

After you and Grandpa moved to Sunset Drive you planted fruit trees, vegetables, flowers and most anything else that would grow in the warm Escondido, California climate. Grandpa would brine olives and you would collect the seasonal vegetables for meals. You loved putting together big gettogethers for all of the grand kids and got all of us cousins playing Bingo with pinto beans, hoping to win a trip to the prize bag. Grandpa kept us all laughing and you kept the food coming.

During my middle school years Martin and I would stay with you both for a month in the summer. Every afternoon youd break the monotony of the 100plus degree days with your ice cream shakeoftheday. Date shakes were Grandpas favorite. Hed do leg raises most afternoons in an attempt to counteract the calories and flatten his belly. Most every exercise session led him to take a rest after wards with a deck of cards and a quick game of Cribbage.

You taught me needlework and encouraged me to create beautiful things with my hands, unwittingly setting me on the course of my lifes work. While I worked on my latest craft or art project youd tell me stories about the Polish Black Madonna of Czestochowa, the Lives of the Saints and growing up in a Catholic convent school in Chicago. When you were frustrated the closest you got to swearing was to say Mother of God in Polish. In the evenings wed often kneel with Grandpa in the living room and say a rosary before bedtime.

After I moved to Oregon in my early twenties our time together became the occasional visits between phone calls and letters. After Grandpa died wed visit at your condo in Los Angeles. Youd take me for a tour of the grounds that included a visit to all of the plants youd been tending with the gardeners goahead. Youd send me prayer cards in the mail. When Isabella was born you sent me a cutting of the Queen of the Night a succulent that was the descendant of a plant youd obtained in the 1950s after youd returned with your family to Los Angeles from a few years spent living in Center, Missouri. You taught me that plants carry meaning.

So when you moved to Texas to live with your daughter Peggy and her husband George, I visited to paint murals of vines and flowers above your bed, bath and other places in the suite of rooms George built for you. I painted a retablo of the Black Madonna of Czestochowa for your rooms. Plants and prayer were again at the center of your life.

Thank you Grandma for the beautiful gifts you gave to all of us: Meditation and Madonnas, piety and plants along with a few bets at the horse races or keno boards to round out life. I hope that heaven has both.

I love you Grandma Thanks for everything,
Cristina
"

"Dear Grandma, I know you are happy now that you are with Grandpa. I will always cherish the memories of learning and playing cribbage with you both. Love Alisa"

"Our thoughts are with all of you during this time of loss and always. We will cherish our memories of Grandma Alice and the full life that she lived. With Love, Liz, Stephen, Lindsey, Raymond, Michael, and Elleise Reichle"

"We love you very much Grandma. We miss you a whole lot too. We are there in spirit with you. We send our love to the whole family assembled in your honor. Rest peacefully in eternity until we meet again. Love, your grandson and his wife, Johnny and Mara McDermott."

"Sorry for your loss our Prayers are with the family."

"We wish to express our deepest sympathy at this sad time."

"Sandy, Sharon, Peggy and Rosie,

We were so sorry to hear of the death of your mother. It is not easy to lose a mom no matter how old we are or how old they are. We always enjoyed any times we spent with Alice. She was a beautiful loving lady. We know you will miss her very much. We are thinking of you and your famiilies during this difficult time. May she rest in peace. With love, Margie and Dick Keddy"

"Though the visits were few and far between, the time spent with you is cherished. Warm, loving, happy memories: cribbage, strawberries from the hillside garden, playing Tripoli using the ginormous penny pot, freshly squeezed orange juice, and, of course, my first trip to see the ponies at Del Mar...very exciting. I love you and miss you, Grandma."

"Please accept our deepest sympathy at this time of loss and sorrow. We will keep all in our thoughts and prayers. May God be with you."

"You can shed tears that she is gone,
or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that shell come back,
or you can open your eyes and see all shes left.
Your heart can be empty because you cant see her,
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her only that she is gone,
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind,
be empty and turn your back.
Or you can do what shed want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

David Harkins quotes British Poet and Painter b.1958

"

"Dear Grandma,

You will be missed Im glad I saved all your notes and pictures and odd assortment of articles and whatnot cut out from newspapers. Ill miss your familiar handwriting, your text shorter as time passed but still heartfelt.

You gave me my favorite memories of dressup. I treasure the times you set up a market on your back patio in Escondido filled with produce from your abundant garden. I loved wearing your funky hats, long coats, house dresses and highheeled shoes and grandma purses. I learned to make change out of the register playing this game, usually with my older sisters as fellow shoppers. It was a wonderful grandma activity.

I cherish my many visits during my 20s when I lived close enough to visit you and grandpa for weekends in Escondido or even closer when you moved to Los Angeles. Our many walks and talks around and around the gardens of St. Johns are with me still.

I think I got my love of growing fruits, flowers and vegetables from you and Grandpaboth I enjoy today, though at a much smaller scale. I still remember the look of surprise and pleasure on your face when I brought you that absolutely humongous bouquet from an event at work. It was fun to hear you brag so much to your fellow residents. I enjoyed those many cafeteria lunches with you and sending you those alcoholic chocolates from Trader Joes. When I found out you were giving them out individually to friends on their birthdays and sometimes used them in card games, I got a kick out of that. The small things in life are definitely precious.

Im glad I had the time with you at St. Johns. It gave me a chance to build a new relationship with you, separate from my childhood one. Though we never spent as much time together when I moved up north, those memories are gifts I will cherish every time I think of you. And Im so grateful that my boys were able to meet you and sit on your lap. Those pictures of sitting with greatgrandma will probably have more meaning to them as they grow as did my one treasured photo of Greatgrandma Annie Lauries visit.

Grandpa must be doing the Irish jig up in heaven, finally getting his beautiful Alice back. I love you and will miss you. I hope you know that. Your granddaughter,
Teresa"