Obituary: Alice Elsie (Scharrig) Merkle

January 16, 1936 ~ August 21, 2021

Alice Elsie (nee, Scharrig) Merkle, 85, of Baileys Harbor, died peacefully on Saturday, August 21, 2021.

She was born January 16, 1936 in Fish Creek, daughter of the late Kurt Reinhold and Elsie (Krause) Scharrig. She was raised on the family farm in Jacksonport and graduated from Sevastopol High School with the Class of 1954. After graduating, Alice moved to Highland Park, Illinois and worked as a switchboard operator. In 1955, Alice moved back to Door County and was united in marriage with Fredrick “Fritz” John Merkle on October 8, 1955 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Baileys Harbor. They purchased the Baileys Harbor family dairy farm in 1959 and owned and operated it jointly until Fritz’s passing on June 26, 1979. She operated it with her children until her retirement in 1994. Fritz and Alice were members of Zion Ev. Lutheran Church in West Jacksonport and Alice volunteered with the Ladies Aid group and the Altar Guild for many years. She loved bird watching and listening to and watching Milwaukee Brewers games.

Alice will be missed by her children, Allen (Anita) Merkle, Gene (Cassie) Merkle, Debra (Paul) Merkle-Schubert, and Dale (Kerry) Merkle; grandchildren [and great-grandchildren], Daniel (Samantha) Merkle [Madeline and Mason], David (Kathy Thielen) Merkle [Milo], Justin Poehler, Jarvis Poehler, Lisa (Robert) Mock [Samantha], Allyson (Jamey) McGinnis [Eleanor], Adam (Lisa Frisque) Schubert [Victoria, Landon, Ava, and Aubrey], Amber (Ryan) Francour [Kason and Kinsley], Amanda (Brandon) Cote, and William Merkle; brother, Alvin (Diane) Scharrig; sisters, Esther Bagnall, Mary Haen, and Ruth Berndt; brothers-in-law, Marvin Robertoy and Roy Clemens; sisters-in-law, Marie VanGundy. May Rhode, and Cora (Thomas) Hunter; and several nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Kurt and Elsie Scharrig; mother, Elizabeth (nee, Patza) Scharrig; husband, Fritz Merkle; daughter-in-law, Lois Claflin-Merkle; sister, Helen Clemens; brothers-in-law, George Bagnall, Clayton “Junior” Haen, Ronald Berndt, and Thomas VanGundy; and sister-in-law, Loretta Robertoy.

Alice’s life will be honored with a funeral service on Friday, August 27, 2021 at Zion Ev. Lutheran Church in West Jacksonport at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Peter Lindemann officiating. She will be laid to rest in the church cemetery beside her husband, Fritz.

Visitation will be held on Thursday evening at Huehns Funeral Home in Sturgeon Bay from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. A devotion will be led by Pastor Gary Scharrig at 7:30 p.m. Visitation will continue on Friday morning at the church at 10:00 a.m.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the staff at Pete and Jelaine Horton Center Skilled Nursing Facility and Unity Hospice for their support, care, and compassion.

Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos of Alice may be shared with her family through her tribute page at www.huehnsfuneralhome.com.