VIROQUA, WI – Alice Harriet (Rodenschmit) Atteln, age 88, of Viroqua, WI, formerly of Norwalk and Cross Plains, WI, passed away peacefully on Wedn-esday, May 28, 2025. She was born in Cross Plains, WI, on March 29, 1937 to Frank and Juliana (Schmelzer) Rodenschmit, the youngest of eight children. Alice attended grade school at Saint Francis Xavier Catholic School in Cross Plains and graduated from Middleton High School. After high school, she worked as a typist at the WI Division of Motor Vehicles in Madison. Alice married Claire B. Atteln on May 1, 1971. In 1972, they moved to Claire’s family dairy farm in Norwalk, WI, becoming the 4th generation of Attelns to own and operate this farm. Alice fully embraced her new life as a dutiful farm wife and mother. She wasn’t afraid to lend a hand, helping with the milking operation and raising a flock of laying hens with chicks. She made sure the meals were ready, the floor was swept, and the beds neatly made. She gardened, canned, crafted, cooked, and sewed. After retiring from the farm in 1990, Alice compassionately provided home care for the elderly, including her dear mother-in-law, Gertrude. She was a member of St. John’s Summit Ridge Parish Council of Catholic Women (PCCW), the church choir, and the Catholic Order of Foresters.
When her beloved Claire passed away in 2010, Alice moved to Viroqua and blossomed into a woman with many lady friends and social activities. She became a member of the St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Viroqua and joined their choir and quilt club, but all of this came a far second to her biggest joy-spending time with her granddaughters. It was not uncommon for her to spend weeks at a time with those girls, to lend a hand, but most of all, because she wanted to be a part of their lives, as much as they wanted to be a part of hers. When her health started to fail in 2023, Alice made the decision to move into Maplewood Terrace Assisted Living in Viroqua, a decision she never regretted. During the last several months of her life, Gundersen hospice joined her care team. The family would like to express deep gratitude for their thoughtful and loving care. Anyone who knew Alice, even briefly, detected her sweet nature. She had an unforgettable smile that will fondly remain in the hearts and memories of her friends and family forever.
Alice is survived by her children: Elizabeth (Marko) Baxter and Monica Kehlen; grandchildren: Tanna, Danica, and Malla Baxter; sister, Carol Spencer; sister-in-law, Jan Rodenschmit; and numerous relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Juliana; husband, Claire; siblings, Edwin Rodenschmit, Mary Ellen (Chuck) Raemisch, Anna May (Bert) Krantz, Helen, William ‘Bill’ Rodenschmit, and Susan (Elmer) Geishirt; and brother-in-law, Fran Spencer.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Viroqua. Burial will follow in the St. John’s Summit Ridge Catholic Church Cemetery, rural Norwalk. Visitation with a 10:30 a.m. parish rosary will be on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 from 10:00 a.m. until the time of Mass at the church. Popp Funeral and Cremation Services in Viroqua is entrusted with her services.
