Alice Helen Howe

Alice Helen Howe, 88, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 29th, 2023, at Bluffview Memory Care Center in Holmen, Wisconsin surrounded by family.

Also deceased, are her husband, Thomas Howe, her parents, Helen (Ryan) Schneider and Edward Schneider, as well as her siblings; Eugene, Marjorie, Florence, William, Edward Jr., Marie, and survived by sisters; Ruth, Phyllis, and Rita.

Alice and Tom raised 6 children; Jenny (Chris) Ovide, George (Cheryl) Howe, John (Susan) Howe, Lolly Howe, Cari Howe, and Stephie Howe and are the proud “Nana and Papa” to 12 grandchildren, located in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and California.  She was blessed to get to meet Tom and Whitney Prestby’s child, Ari, her great-grandchild before her passing.

Alice grew up in Plainview, Minnesota.  She attended a one-room schoolhouse from grades 1-3, Plainview School from grades 4-10, and Lourdes High School in Rochester, Minnesota for grades 11 and 12.  In 1954, she graduated from the St. Francis School of Nursing in La Crosse, Wisconsin.  Her lifelong career as an R.N. included:  OBGYN and Pediatrics at the La Crosse Clinic for over 10 years, UWL Health Center for 10 years, the Chemically Dependent Adolescents Unit of St. Francis Hospital, and finally in her “retirement”, she sat on the Board of Directors for 8 years at the Houston County Women’s Resources Center.

Among her most treasured volunteer obligations were those to her church community at the Roncalli Newman Catholic Church in La Crosse, Wisconsin which she said was her “home away from home”.

Her passions in life included: her family, her children’s activities, her faith, gardening and nurturing the land she lived on, and - tennis!  She was taught by her husband, Tom, at age 40 and played frequently.  She reluctantly retired from her ladies’ doubles tennis team at the age of 85.  She loved music, particularly Big Band Music, Pavarotti, Bocelli, dancing, (this is how she and Tom met) and was a wonderful cook and baker, passing on her valuable techniques and recipes to the Howe family.  Perhaps her greatest passion was that of helping others - she derived much joy from knowing she could make a bit of difference in other people’s lives.

Our deepest gratitude goes out to those who provided our mother’s final care, especially the Mayo Hospital in La Crosse, Bluffview Memory Care in Holmen, the St. Croix Hospice Care staff, and the Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home in La Crosse, Wisconsin.  Your kindness and love will forever be appreciated.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 12:00 p.m., Saturday, April 15 ^th , at Roncalli Newman Catholic Parish, 1732 State St., La Crosse, with visitation beginning at 11:00 a.m.  Rev. Billy Dodge will officiate.  A luncheon will follow the service at the parish and burial will follow in Crucifixion Cemetery in La Crescent, MN.

Alice asked that any gifts or remembrances be made to her favorite charity, Bluff Country Family Resources, Inc., dedicated to providing high quality services to victims of domestic violence in Houston County. https://bluffcountry.org/