Alice Elaine Reese, 79

Published 11:10 am Saturday, March 9, 2019

Alice Elaine (Nelson) Reese, 79, of Blooming Prairie, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, at Mayo Clinic Health System-Austin. Family members were with her during her last few days and when she passed.

Alice was born on Aug. 21, 1939, in Austin, Minnesota, to Herman J. and Alberta M. (Blackwell) Nelson. She was the second child of five, born with a twin brother who died at birth. She grew up in Austin by Todd Park and graduated from Austin High School. As a young woman, she worked at Weyerhaeuser Co. She was united in marriage to Gary J. Reese on June 21, 1961, at Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church. She stayed at home to raise their four children and worked on the farm and fed the hired men during spring and fall work. Gary and Alice enjoyed going out dancing, especially polka and waltz. She enjoyed baking donuts, pies, and cookies. She had a love for reading as well as watching NASCAR and the Minnesota Twins.

Alice Elaine Reese, 79

She was preceded in death by her parents, Herman and Alberta; husband, Gary; brothers, Donovan and Arnold; sister, Ardice; sister-in-law, Betty; brothers-in-law, Curtis and Ronald Reese; and mother-in-law, Dorothy Johnson.

Alice is lovingly remembered by her four children, Kimberly (Rollin) Strand of Hollandale, Minnesota, Lori (Tammy) Reese Earley of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Gina (Anne) Reese of Minneapolis and Jeremi (Amanda) Reese of Austin; grandchildren, Jason (Kati) Strand of Faribault, Minnesota, Kraig (Alie) Strand of Blooming Prairie, David Meier of Minneapolis, Kevin Meier (Jordyn) of St. Paul, Minnesota, Diana (Matt) Horan of Hollandale, Gabriel Reese of St. Paul, Marnie Reese of Rochester, Minnesota, and Anna Reese of Austin; brother-in-law, Nolan Johnson of Austin; sister-in-law, Denise Nelson of Mesa, Arizona; brother-in-law, Allan (Vicki) Reese of Ellendale, Minnesota; 10 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 15, 2019, at Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church with the Rev. Lindsay Stolen officiating. Visitation will be for one hour before the service on Friday at the church. Interment at Red Oak Grove Cemetery will follow the service. Memorials may be designated to Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church or to the Humane Society. Clasen-Jordan Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.