Alice A. Van Handel, 95, passed away on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. Alice was born on May 22, 1931 in the town of Grand Chute to M. Leo Woods and Cecelia M. (Thompson) Woods. Shortly after her birth the family moved to the Woods homestead in Greenville. She attended school at St. Mary's, Greenville, and Appleton Senior High School where she met her husband, Richard B. Van Handel. Both of them graduated with the Class of 1950. She was employed by Home Mutual Insurance Company until her marriage. On May 29, 1954, she married Rich at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Appleton. They spent 65 years together before his passing in 2019.

Along with her husband, she raised five children and lived her life as a farm wife doing both household chores and many outside farm chores. She drove school bus for 10 years and served as a Town of Grand Chute election worker for 30 years. She was a charter member of St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Appleton, where she helped with funeral luncheons and in later years attended daily Mass. She attended school activities of her children and grandchildren and recently was filled with joy at the birth of her first great grandson. Alice learned to use the computer so she could keep track of all the twigs and branches sprouting out of the Woods family tree. For the last six years, she has called Primrose Retirement Community her home where she enjoyed the many activities.

Alice is survived by a son, David (Kit), 3 daughters: Susan (Bruce) Siebers, Celia (Jeffrey) Engel, and Elizabeth Van Handel; and daughter-in-law, Lori Van Handel. She is survived by 3 grandchildren: Nathan (Aimee), Adam, and Melanie Van Handel; and 9 step-grandchildren. Also surviving her is great-grandson, Calahan; and 15 step-great-grandchildren. Alice is further survived by her sisters, Joan Gitter and Catherine Seidler; sisters-in-laws, Patricia Woods and Jule Van Handel; and many nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death are her parents, her husband; her son, Gerald; her siblings: Gertrude (Bernard) Bruening, Mary (Robert) Reichle, Earl (Marie) Woods, Margaret (James) Jenkel, John (Rita) Woods, Agnes Woods, Helen (Frank) Calmes, and James Woods; and her in-laws: Lawrence Gitter, Richard Seidler, Robert (Marion), Harold, and Donald (Joan) Van Handel, Theresa (Norbert) Techlin, and Rosemary (Delmar) Schmeichel.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Alice will be held on Tuesday, July 14 at 11:00 am at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 1810 N McDonald Street, Appleton. Family and friends may call at Brettschneider Trettin-Nickel Funeral Home, 606 N Oneida Street, Appleton on Monday, July 13 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm with a prayer service to conclude the evening. Visitation will resume the following day at church from 9:00 am until the time of service. Burial will be at St. Joseph's Cemetery. A memorial fund will be established.

The family would like to thank the Primrose community – staff and residents - for six wonderful years. Additionally thanks goes to Compassus Hospice Care for their compassionate care in Mom's final days.