Alice Wesche

Alice Faye Wesche, age 81 of Manhattan, passed away Monday, September 8, 2025, at the Good Shepherd Homecare and Hospice House in Manhattan.

She was born on November 6, 1943, in Clay Center, the daughter of Frederick William and Ruth Alice (Wohler) Rothlisberger. She was baptized and confirmed at St Peter’s Lutheran Church in Barnes, Kansas. Alice graduated from Barnes High School and Clark’s Business College in Topeka.

Alice married Larry Gene Wesche on October 8, 1961, at St. Peter's Lutheran Church. He survives of the home.

They lived in California from 1962 to 1968 and then returned to Kansas to stay.

She worked as an underwriter for Manhattan Mutual Life Insurance from 1974 until 1988 and then worked as a Human Resource Professional at Kansas State University until her retirement in 2005. She was a member of the St. Luke’s Lutheran Church and Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.

Alice loved to bake and always had a full cookie jar. She especially enjoyed this at Christmas time and shared her favorites with family and friends. She was a talented seamstress and enjoyed piecing quilts for missions and table runners or potholders for family and friends. She made lifelong friends wherever she went: church, camping, living by neighbors, and wintering in Arizona. She was grounded in her Christian faith and adored spending time with family and friends.

In addition to her husband Larry Wesche, she is survived by one son, Gary Wesche and wife Laura of Kansas City, Missouri; one daughter, Danette Burtness and husband Tim of Wichita; two brothers, Dale Rothlisberger of Barnes and Alan Rothlisberger of Harbor City, California; eight grandchildren, Nathan Wesche (Brianne), Brandon Wesche, Chris Wesche, William Wesche, Cody Wesche, Amanda Krafft (Adam), Megan Bloom (Aaron), and Ashley Mercer (Will), and two great grandchildren, Charlotte and Henry Wesche.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Roy Rothlisberger; and one sister, Ardith Wiechman.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. Friday, September 12, 2025, at the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home in Riley.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, September 13, 2025, at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Manhattan, with Rev. Michael Schmidt officiating. A graveside service will be held at 1:00 p.m. in the St. Peter's Lutheran Cemetery, south of Barnes.

Memorials may be made to the St. Luke’s Lutheran Church Building Fund and left in care of the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 176, Riley, Kansas 66531.