Alice Leis-Murray, 88, passed away Sunday, March 29, 2026, at the Morrow Home in Sparta, Wisconsin.
She was born on May 6, 1937, to Harold and Gladys (Wallace) Cox at the home of her grandpa, Frank Cox, at the south end of Wilton, Wisconsin. She was the second of ten children. She attended first grade at the Wilton School. In 1943, her parents moved the family to Ridgeville, where she attended Hillcrest School at the edge of their farm. She graduated from Wilton High School in 1955. While a senior, she got a job in Wilton at a restaurant. She liked to tell her family that she used her first paycheck to buy a pair of shoes, and the second check to purchase boots to go over them.
In December of 1955, Alice met the first love of her life, Arnold “Arnie” Leis. They married May 22, 1956. They lived on a dairy farm on the ridge between Norwalk and Wilton where they raised their 10 children. The kids credit their mother’s influence for helping them forge relationships that keep them close. There is always a lot of fun and good natured joking when they are together- whether getting up a winter’s wood, spring yard work, meeting at McMullen County Park for the annual Leis campout or holiday gatherings. She laughingly said they all turned out to be good people in spite of her. Their matriarch will be sadly missed and fondly remembered.
Alice joined the Catholic Church in 1955. She was a faithful member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Wilton, helping with funeral lunches and the soup and sandwich events for many years, and before that with the chicken dinner picnics. She was a PCCW president for 6 years.
When the children were older, she took a job at the Lone Star Bar and Grill in Wilton as a waitress and cook. In 1992, she began a 20-year career at the Royall School District as a cook, while continuing to work for Lone Star weekends and summers for many of those years. She retired in 2012 and enjoyed seeing family and friends. Alice loved going to and having rummage sales. She was locally known for being the “cookie lady” and often had a table set up at her sales or craft shows around the area.
On October 23, 2010, Alice married the second love of her life, Hugh “Bug” Murray. He was a gentle and kind man. They lived just outside of Kendall on his family’s farm. He passed away 17 months later. Heartbroken, she returned to her home on the ridge.
She joked that she never lived far from where she was born.
Alice is survived by her ten children; Curt (Tina) Leis of Ontario, Dean (Patty) Leis of Wilton, Keith (Mary) Leis of Wonewoc, Mark (Dorese) Leis of Ontario, Sharon (Mike) Baldwin of Wilton, Eric (Rita) Leis of North Freedom, Chris (Rhonda) Leis of Readstown, Arne Leis of Ontario, Lisa Leis of Sparta and Traci Leis of LaCrosse; her step-children, Cheryl (Greg) Scheeter and their children, Tom (Denise) Murray and their children. She is further survived by 19 grandchildren, 45 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren; her siblings, Bob (Marlene) Cox, Linda (Ron) Shisler, Royce (Cathy) Cox, and John (Deb) Cox; her in-laws, Pat Cox, Connie Cox, Norman and Mickey Leis, Ruth Murray, Eileen Murray and by many nieces and nephews.
Alice was preceded in death by her husband, Arnold Leis in 1997; her husband, Hugh in 2012; her parents, Harold and Gladys Cox; her brother, Harold “Junior” and his wife, Edith Cox; brother, Jim Cox; sister, Joanne and her husband, Harry Meyer; brother, Gary and his wife, Nadine Cox, brother, Wade Cox; daughter-in-law, Carolyn (Hicks) Leis; step-grandson, Steven Cleveland; step-daughter and step-son-in-law, Judy Murray and Dwight Vimont, as well as many siblings and in-laws from Arnold and Hugh’s families.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 1:00 PM at St. John’s the Baptist Catholic Church in Wilton. Father John Ofori-Domah will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Relatives and friends are invited to call on Monday, April 6, 2026 from 4:00 PM- 7:00 PM at the church and on April 7, at 12:00 PM (noon) until the time of the service.
Online condolences may be given at www.sonnenburgfamilyfh.com The Sonnenburg-Smith-Nelson Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.
Sonnenburg-Smith-Nelson Funeral Home
