Alyce Mary Lechner

OBITUARY: Alyce M. Lechner

Funeral service for Alyce M. Lechner will be at 1pm on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Pine Island with Reverend John Torris Lohre and Reverend Terje Hausken co-officiating. Burial will follow in the Pine Island Cemetery.
Alyce Mary Oliver, 85, was born on September 18, 1923 in Deer River, MN, the youngest of six children born to Earl Joseph Oliver and Laura Mildred Oliver (Root). Alyce's mother died just four years later. Earl later remarried and moved a blended family to Hill City, MN, where Alyce attended school until the untimely death of her youngest brother Earl Jr. She lived with friends of the family for a time and then moved to live with her oldest sibling Ellen Bangert and her husband Henry near Hanover, MN, and later lived with her oldest brother Joe and his wife Millie. Alyce graduated high school at Rockford High School, Rockford, MN. She worked for Sears and Roebuck in St. Paul, MN and a short time later was introduced by her brother to a young cheese maker from Maple Leaf Dairy, Byron, MN by the name of Gerald Wees, who was making cheese in the local Hanover Creamery. Gerald was called off to the Army in World War II. Following his military service he returned to Hanover and married Alyce Mary on June 10, 1946. The newlyweds moved to Pine Island, where Gerald made cheese and in 1948, Alyce gave birth to their first child, Gary.
A business venture led them to Hill City where they owned a bar and grill and had two more children; a daughter Barbara, in 1950, who lived only a few hours, and then a year later, a healthy son Bradley, born in 1951. Leaving their business venture to a new owner, the expanding family moved back to Pine Island, where in 1952, Bonnie was born. Alyce and family lived in several locations in Pine Island, finally buying a home across from the old grade school.
After some difficult years, Alyce and Gerald separated and later divorced. Alyce moved to Fargo, ND, in 1958, where she worked for several years at Herbst Department Store as their switchboard operator and later in their credit department. She also worked at Fargo's American Legion Club where she met Bert Lechner, a Fargo Postal employee and active legionnaire. They married at St. Mark's Lutheran Church, in Fargo, on September 26, 1963. They resided in Moorhead, MN, for the next twenty-four years. She also worked for a medical clinic and Blue Cross, Blue Shield in Fargo, until her retirement. Alyce's son Brad, died of cancer at the age of 32 in 1983. Her husband Bert, died May 8, 1987. She then returned to Pine Island, and lived with her daughter Bonnie and husband Mike and family until her death on September 26, 2008.
Alyce had a special gift for extending hospitality to all who crossed her doorway. She loved family, near and far. She was a great cook, could crochet, sew, and knit, and canned just about anything under the sun. She was an avid reader and liked to travel. Her greatest vacation was a lifelong dream fulfilled of going to the land of her forbearers, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

Alyce was preceded in death by her parents; sister Ellen Bangert; brothers: Joe, John, Elbert and Earl Oliver, Jr.; infant daughter Barbara; son Bradley; and grandson Mark Wees. She is survived by her daughter Bonnie Oelkers (Mike), son Rev. Gary Wees (Becky), daughter-in-law Marsha; granddaughters: Lisa Oelkers (Brian Fogarty), and Michelle Martincek (Mike); grandsons: Matthew (Carrie), Christopher (Kimberly), Andrew, Joshua (Emilee) Wees; and great grandchildren: Alec, Hayley, Natalie and Hayden Wees, Mikenna, Collin and Ava Fogarty, Mark and Morgan Martincek; many beloved nieces and nephews and dozens of young people who adopted her as their grandma as well. God bless her memory.
Visitation will be from 4- 7 pm on Monday, September 29, 2008 at Mahn Family Funeral Home � Mahler Chapel in Pine Island and one hour before service at the church on Tuesday.