Alice Rosina Kasper, age 71, passed away peacefully in her home on December 13, 2016 with her dear sister, Mary, by her side.
Alice was born on October 13, 1945 in Merrill, Wisconsin to Theodore and Valeria (MacSwain) Kasper. Growing up in the country gave her a deep love of nature that would last throughout her life. After graduating from Merrill High School in 1964, she moved to the big city of Chicago to attend medical lab technician school, while living with her Aunt Mary and Uncle Tex. She later moved to the Los Angeles area and worked as a database administrator for a medical testing firm. During the 20 years she lived in California, Alice established a close network of friends and spent her free time hiking and downhill skiing in the mountains and attending bluegrass and folk concerts and festivals. She returned to Wisconsin in 1998 to be closer to family but would always miss the people and weather of LA.
Alice was an avid volunteer. She was active with the Friends of Pinney Branch Library, her neighborhood association, and VSA WI, where she helped to bring the arts to adults with disabilities. She loved her many dog companions throughout her life and in recent years provided foster care for dogs from Underdog Pet Rescue. She loved hiking and cross-country skiing, especially at the Merrill homestead, rummage sales, books, music, and extremely rare steaks. She was a skilled cook and seamstress and a proud owner of her jewelry business, Alice in Beadland. We will all miss her captivating presence, infectious laugh, and kind heart.
She is survived by her brothers, Clint (Sharon) and Tom (Ann), her sisters, Mary (Bruce) Schmidt and Anna Hudson, her dog, Dottie, and her nieces and nephews who deeply admired her. Alice also leaves behind several close friends whose lives were greatly enriched by knowing her.
Per her wishes, Alice had a natural burial on the day of her death at the Natural Path Sanctuary in Verona, Wisconsin. There will be a celebration of life gathering from 1-4 pm on Sunday, Jan. 8, with a program beginning at 2 p.m., at the Eastside Club, 3735 Monona Drive, Madison. Donations may be made in Alice’s honor to the Friends of the Madison Pinney Branch Library or Underdog Pet Rescue of Madison.