The Mass of Christian Burial for Alice Margaret (Kari) Wishard, age 60 of Bison, SD will be held at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 16, 2014 at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Bison.   Most Reverend Robert Gruss, Celebrant, Fr. Tony Grossenburg, Homilist, Con-celebrants, Priests of the Diocese of Rapid City.  A Rosary/Vigil Service will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday evening at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church.  Burial will be at St. Aloysius Catholic Cemetery in Sturgis at 5:30 p.m.

Special music will be provided by Dr. Barry Furze, Myron Volk, Eliza Bonacci, and Tracy Buer.

Serving as casket bearers are Alan Snortland, Stan Schlosser, John Peck, Jerry Posley, Rene Kari and Dan Jackson.  The Red Hatters and all of Alice's family and friends are considered honorary bearers.

A memorial has been established.

ALICE MARGARET (KARI) WISHARD was born on April 27, 1953 at Faith, SD to Pete C. and Bernice M. (Schlosser) Kari.  She grew up on the Kari Ranch 30 miles south of Bison.  Alice attended Brushy Grade School for the first eight years and then graduated in 1971 from St. Mary's High School in New England, ND.  Following her schooling, she attended Black Hills State College in Spearfish.  Alice then began working for Kesling Funeral home in Mobridge as an intern in hope of pursuing a degree in Mortuary Science.

On June 18, 1976, Alice was united in marriage to Jim Wishard.  They began their life together on the Wishard farm near Prairie City.  A daughter, Sarah, was born to this union.  In 1985, they moved into Bison where she worked as a dispatcher for the Bison Ambulance and then became an EMT.  She also worked at the Bison Post Office for a number of years.

Alice took an interest in sewing and was very creative in designing and sewing Barbie Doll clothing, often making her own patterns.

Alice was a member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church and for many years and decorated the church for the Liturgical Seasons.   She had a great devotion to Our Blessed Mother, The Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Padre Pio and Mother Teresa.  Alice had the utmost respect and admiration for Our Holy Father, Pope Francis.   She was an advocate for Right To Life and often did fund raisers in support of this cause, of which the local Baptist and Lutheran Faith Communities, were very supportive.   Later in life, she was very vocal about her faith, her philosophy of life and her politics.   She was also instrumental in establishing the Red Hatters Club.

Her greatest joy in life was spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.

Alice was diagnosed with COPD in 2004 and was a candidate for a lung transplant which she received on July 29, 2007.  She passed from this life on Friday, April 11, 2014 at the University Of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview.

Keeping her in their fondest memories are her husband, Jim, daughter, Sarah Holzer, grandchildren, Garrett and Grace Holzer, all of Bison, SD; her mother, Bernice M. Kari, Meadow, SD, 2 sisters, Sheila Kari-Johnson, Newell, SD; Mary Lynn (Brad) Marcus, Calabasas, CA; 2 brothers, Fr. Arnold Kari, Sturgis, SD and John (Veronica) Kari, Bison, SD; 3 nieces, Jessica Johnson, Julianna Kari and Jennifer Marcus; and a nephew, Peter Marcus; and on Jim's side of the family brother-in-law, Glen (Della) Wishard, sister-in-law, Peg (Jim) Wunder, and nieces, Glenda Lamphere, Pam Tremblay, and Jennifer Pavelka; and nephews, Glen Ervin Wishard, Dan Wunder, Walter Wunder and Stuart Wunder.

She was preceded in death by her father, Pete C. Kari.

Visitation will be on Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. to the time of the Rosary at 7:00 p.m. at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Bison.