Alice Marie Benzschawel, age 91, of Thorp, WI entered the gates of heaven on Monday morning, July 6, 2026.  She was surrounded with family hugging on her, praying with her, and expressing their love and thanks to her when the good Lord took her to be in heaven, her final home, in eternal peace.

     We are ecstatic to know that she is reunited with her son, Keith Benzschawel, and her husband, Claude Benzschawel, who passed away in January of 2021 after 66 years of marriage; along with numerous other family members.

     Alice Marie Mickett was born on July 15, 1934 in rural Greenwood, WI, Town of Reseburg, to William and Mary (Bolf) Mickett.  She was the oldest of five children and often felt like a “mini-Mom”, as she was taking care of her siblings and also working on the family farm to help her parents.  She had lots of stories on her responsibilities as the oldest daughter.  Alice attended Greenwood schools and graduated from Greenwood High School in 1952.  After graduating from high school, she worked at Thorp Finance in Thorp.  She set her sights on Claude Benzschawel, as they spent time together roller skating at the Quonset Hall.  Alice and Claude were united in marriage on May 24, 1955 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenwood.  It was a beautiful day.  They were wed in the morning and celebrated with a meal and dancing later in the day.  After getting married, Claude and Alice rented a small farm five miles north of Thorp, where they began a farm with 6 cows that they purchased from Claudes parents.  They worked together on that rental farm while also beginning a family, which resulted in four children, three boys and one daughter.  Alice and Claude lost their firstborn son Keith to cancer when he was only six years old.

     Alice loved being a Mom and took great pleasure in her children.  She especially enjoyed celebrating their birthdays with great parties, always complete with friends, family and homemade angel food birthday cake.  In 1965, they purchased their permanent family farm, located one mile south of Thorp.  This farm was beautiful and successful, as Alice and Claude worked together to make it a topnotch farm.  She took great pleasure in manicuring the huge front lawn, getting on her Dixon zero turn mower and kept it looking better than any golf course.     She began a career at Peoples Exchange Bank in Thorp as a teller, and maintained that job for approximately 25 years.

     Alice also started to have “the boys”, husband Claude and son Randy, decorate the farm at Christmastime in the early 1980’s, with approximately 50,000 lights.  It began with the front porch on the house, decorating the pillars like candy canes.  Next, came the windmill, which was decorated like a huge Christmas tree.  And then came the manure pit decorated as a big drum, along with the silos as super huge candy canes.  The entire yard became a winter wonderland.  Since it was just south of Highway 29, there were hundreds of cars backed up bumper to bumper to view the wonderful site.

     Over the years, she participated in Red Hats, and served on Indianhead Community Action Agency, which met in Ladysmith, WI.  It is a group to provide a variety of services to promote healthy families and sustainable communities.  Alice enjoyed being on the bowling team at the bowling alley in Thorp.  She also attended St Bernard-St Hedwig’s Catholic Church every week and served on the church council and taught catechism classes to the youth.  Alice loved to give generously to those in need and had a huge heart for any and all children, especially babies.

     She will be greatly missed by her children: Randal Benzschawel, Karen (Dean) Gehri, Brian (Rosanne) Benzschawel; five grandchildren: Marie Benzschawel, Michael (Adrienne) Benzschawel, Adam (Kaitlan) Benzschawel, Kimberly (Kordell) Kaduce, Julie (Kaleb) Windl; 12 great-grandchildren; two brothers: William (Millie) Mickett and Bobby Mickett; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

     She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Claude; her son, Keith Benzschawel; two sisters: Dorothy Piont and her husband Frank, and Beverly Benzschawel and her husband Eugene; her sister-in-law, Nancy Mickett, spouse of Robert Mickett.

     The family wants to acknowledge the staff at Turner Integrity, who provided excellent care for Alice.  The staff were tremendous friends of Alice and the family and we cannot fully express our appreciation for the magnificent services that were provided for Alice over the years and at the end-of-life stages.  The family also wishes to thank St. Croix Hospice and all staff members for the services provided for Alice over the last year and a half and especially as Mom entered final stages of life.  The services provided were beyond our expectations and we appreciate the love and care that were provided for her. 

     Rest in Peace Alice, Mom, wife, grandmom and friend.  You have been a blessing over and over.  God Bless your soul.