Alice J. Blank, age 89, of Shawano, passed away on Tuesday, January 18, 2022. Alice was born in the Town of Belle Plaine, Shawano County, on August 4, 1932, daughter of the late Alex and Louise (Bartz) Retzlaff. Alice graduated from Shawano High School with the class of 1950. On June 22, 1957, June was united in marriage to Melvin Blank at St. James Lutheran Church in Shawano. Melvin preceded her in death in January of 2000. Alice was a long-time member of St. James Lutheran Church and the VFW Auxiliary where she served as secretary for 12 years. She worked for the Shawano Leader for 25 years. In her free time, she enjoyed watching the Brewers and Packers. More than anything she loved spending time with her family especially her beloved grandchildren. She was a wonderful mother and grandmother and will be deeply missed by the family she leaves behind.
Alice is survived by: her children, Bonnie (Danny) Utke, Barbara (Guy) Grosskopf, Jeffrey (Barb) Blank and Jolene (Dennis) Clark; six grandchildren, Nick Utke, Rachel (Adam) Zimmerman, Amber (Joe) Wacha, Alivia Blank, Amanda (Jason) Jach, and Jamie Clark; great grandchildren, Archer and Sullivan Jach; and sisters-in-law, Lorraine Retzlaff and Betty Nemetz. She is further survived by numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.
Preceding Alice in death are: her husband, Mel; her parents, Alex and Louise; brothers, Roland “Butch” (Betty) Retzlaff and Ruben Retzlaff; and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Harriet and Glen Schauder, Jerry and Norma Blank, and Robert Nemetz.
A funeral service for Alice will be held at St. James Lutheran Church in Shawano at 11:00am on Friday, January 21, 2022, with Alice’s nephew, Rev. Steven Schauder officiating. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the church on Friday from 9:30am until the time of the service.
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