Mary Alice Nesler

April 28, 1926 - January 26, 2018

Mary Alice Nesler April 25, 1926 - January 25, 2018 Mary Alice Nesler was born on April 28, 1926 in Chicago, IL to Clarence and Mary Godshalk. She and her younger brother, Jim, were raised in the unique setting of the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, as their father was the Director there for many years. Mary Alice grew up a lover of horses, and never tired of riding and teaching tricks to her pinto, "Queenie". M.A. as she was known, loved the out-of-doors and enjoyed swimming, ice skating, hiking, fishing, golfing, horseback riding, hunting, and gardening. In 1946 M.A. married Ted Fredenhagen, of Naperville, IL. Together they raised five children: James (Victoria) Fredenhagen of Anchorage, AK; Laura (Don) Schaefer of Amboy, IL; Gary (Sue) Fredenhagen of Boulder Junction, WI; Jane (Dale) Herron of Newburg, MO; and Debra Zellhofer of Amboy, IL. Summers for the family were spent at "Singwakiki", the cabins and lake in northern Wisconsin. Mary Alice's adult life focused on raising her children and enjoying family activities. After raising her five children, Mary Alice began an antique furniture and refinishing business. Her skill became will-known and she enjoyed developing personal relationships with her clients. During this time, she met and married Bill Nesler, and the couple moved to a home in Wisconsin. Over the course of twenty years they travelled and lived in Florida, Louisiana, and Missouri, but always returned to their beloved north woods of Wisconsin where they sang in the choir at the United Methodist Church in Mercer. After Bill's death in 2002, Mary Alice began enhancing her fishing skills. No longer satisfied with catching the elusive Muskie, she went after Sturgeon, the giant of northern lakes and rivers. For the last twenty years of her life, M.A.'s favorite times were those spent with her beloved George Brien, of Park Falls, WI. Each year they travelled together to Shonto Ranch in Texas to hunt big game and fish the lakes. Family and friends enhanced their lives together in Park Falls before Mary Alice's passing. A family memorial will be held in June near the north fork of the Flambeau River in northern Wisconsin to celebrate Mary Alice's life.