Alice Marie (Fischer) Schwichtenberg was born on November 21, 1945, in Owatonna, MN, to Reuben and Luella (Krenke) Fischer. She was the oldest of four daughters. She was baptized as a child at Zion Lutheran Church in rural Ellendale and later confirmed her faith in 1959. She grew up on a dairy farm in rural Ellendale, MN and was a member of the local 4-H club and had a variety of 4-H projects, including raising a pig. She learned to play accordion and played in a combo group with her sisters for a few years and was an honor student as she graduated from Ellendale High School in Minnesota in 1963.

She worked for a year at Federated Insurance in Owatonna, MN, and then enrolled at Mankato State College in Mankato, MN. She graduated cum laude in 1968 with a Bachelor's Degree in special education and teaching. She married Willis Schwichtenberg on September 2, 1967, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in rural Meridan, Minnesota. Their 57-year marriage was blessed with four children—Jonathan, Jennifer, Jason and Jodee. Alice taught special education for two years in Springfield, Illinois and a year in Danville, Illinois, while her husband was training for pastoral ministry at Concordia Theological Seminary in Springfield, Illinois. He was ordained in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in 1972.

She and Willis lived in Springfield, Illinois, Danville, Illinois, Sheldon, Wisconsin and Milford, Illinois, before moving to Freeport, Illinois in 1982 where she and her husband both worked at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Freeport, Illinois. Their children all graduated from Immanuel Lutheran School and Alice taught special education at the school for 25 years. At Immanuel Church in Freeport Alice was a member of the Fideles Circle and taught Sunday School and a special needs Sunday School class and was the adult membership instructor for more than 30 years. She also was a part-time teacher for homebound students for the Freeport School District for more than 15 years.

She and Willis became members of the Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer in Freeport as he served there as part-time pastor since February of 2020. Alice was a prayer warrior and a committed child of God, and devout worker in the churches they served. Their first date in college was after an evangelism rally at a Lutheran church as they made home visits together and then went to an A & W drive in and fell in love with Willis placing an onion ring on her finger.

Alice's interests included Amish culture, angel figurines, lighthouses, and Christian music. Since the mid-1990's she has been involved in prison ministry and since 1999 has published a monthly 8-page self-published newsletter which is mailed to about 850 incarcerated individuals. The November issue was number 231. She and Willis also enjoyed dozens of trips to various prisons as well as trips to Germany, Florida, Mexico and Cancun, in addition to regular trips to see family and friends in South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Arizona, North Carolina and California.

She passed from this life at the Stephenson Nursing Center (Walnut Acres) two days prior to her 79th birthday on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, after about a year of debilitating illness.

Survivors include her husband of 57 years, the Rev. Willis Schwichtenberg, four children, Jonathan (and Roselyn) Schwichtenberg of San Pedro, California, Jennifer Slechta (and Kimberly Greenwood) of Carrollton, Georgia, Jason (and Michelle) Schwichtenberg of Bolingbrook, Illinois, and Jodee (and Matthew) Lewis of Garner, North Carolina. Also surviving are Alice's three sisters, Shirley (and Bobbie) Yocopis of Phoenix, AZ, Roselyn Imani of Sioux Falls, SD, and Delaine Fischer of Owatonna, MN. Also, surviving are five grandchildren, Daniel Slechta of Buchanan, Georgia, Ethan and Noah Schwichtenberg of San Pedro, California, and Emily and Nathaniel Lewis of Garner, North Carolina, plus other relatives and friends.

Visitation for family and friends will be held Friday, December 6 from 4:00-7:00 at Walker Mortuary, 321 West Main, Freeport, IL and from 9:30-11:00 a.m. at the church on Saturday, December 7 until the time of the worship service. The funeral/memorial service will be held Saturday, December 7, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at the Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, 1320 South Blackhawk, Freeport, IL 61032, with the Rev. Rick L. Bader officiating. Committal will be at Oakland Cemetery. A memorial has been established in her memory in the name of Alice Schwichtenberg. Arrangements were made through Walker Mortuary, Freeport, Illinois. Condolences may be shared at www.walkermortuary.com.