Alice Marie Wietharn

Alice Marie (Heinen) Wietharn, age 87, of Topeka, Kansas, passed away Dec. 30, 2025, at Stormont Vail Hospital. Born August 8, 1938, to Joseph A. and Martha (Huerter) Heinen, Alice was the oldest of six children born and raised on the Heinen farm near Kelly, Kansas.

Alice attended District 21 School, a one room schoolhouse in Kelly, until 1949. She then attended Kelly Grade School and Kelly High School, graduating high school in May 1956. After high school, Alice moved to Topeka and worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield until marrying Donald Wietharn on September 17, 1957, at St. Bede’s Catholic Church in Kelly, Kansas. They were blessed with 67 years of marriage before Don’s passing on February 24, 2025.

Alice and Don lived in Topeka, Kansas, for the first year of marriage and then moved to a farm near Axtell, Kansas, from 1958 to 1961. They moved back to Topeka where Don worked for Goodyear and began his trucking career until 1967 when the family moved to Lincoln, Kansas until the fall of 1968. They then moved to the Wietharn family farm near Baileyville, Kansas until the spring of 1988 when Don and Alice sold the farm and made their home in Seneca, Kansas until 1996 when they returned to Topeka.

Through the years, Alice was a homemaker raising six children until 1987 when she worked as an office assistant for an appraisal company based in the Nemaha County Courthouse, then with the Soil Conservation Service, and finally as an administrative assistant at Blair Milling, Seneca, Kansas from 1991 to 1996. After which Alice and Don moved back to Topeka where Alice worked for Key Staffing Temp Agency filling various temporary positions until 1999 when she worked as a receptionist for Stormont Health Care until 2005, and finally as an office assistant at KPERS until her retirement in the spring of 2016. She enjoyed baking and cooking (always finding and trying new recipes), crocheting, embroidery, and crafts passing along her enthusiasm to be creative to her children and grandchildren. Sewing was also enjoyable for Alice, sewing numerous clothes for her children including suits, formals, and even one wedding dress. When a grandchild was entering Kindergarten, she made sure to take that child shopping for their first day of school clothes. Christmas was always important to her, making sure everyone had a special holiday. Alice was an amazing person with an immensely caring personality and heart. Don and her children were incredibly fortunate to have a wife and mother so committed to the family. Throughout her 87 years, Alice’s children benefited greatly from her love and nurturing. Alice was a member of Christ the King Parish and participated in Perpetual Adoration for numerous years. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and was so very proud of each one, never missing one sacrament, birthday party, graduation, or wedding. She also enjoyed daily devotionals, praying the rosary, spending time with her great-grandchildren, visiting with people, and playing games on her iPad.

Alice is survived by her children, Michael Wietharn (Tonya), Columbia, Missouri; Douglas Wietharn (Mary) St. Marys, Kansas; Jacqueline Siess, Tecumseh, Kansas; twins Tamera Steinlage (Steve) Goff, Kansas, and Timothy Wietharn (Shauna) Topeka, Kansas; and Chris Wietharn, Leavenworth, Kansas; seventeen grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren; siblings, Dolores (Lyle) Holthaus, Leawood, Kansas; John (Linda) Heinen, Spring Hill, Kansas; and Helen (Gary) Kramer, Topeka, Kansas. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, an infant brother, Joseph; a sister Ruth Ronnebaum; infant great-grandchildren Blayke Farrell and Theo Baker; and a brother-in-law, Wilfred Ronnebaum.

Visitation will be 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. January 9, 2026, at Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home, 800 SW 6th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66603. During the visitation, a rosary will be prayed at 6:30 p.m.

A rosary will be prayed on January 10, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Bede’s Church, Kelly, Kansas, prior to the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. The burial will be in St. Bede’s Cemetery.

Memorial contributions can be made in Alice’s memory to Christ the King Catholic Church and/or St. Bede’s Restoration Fund. Contributions can be mailed or left with the funeral home.

To share a memory or to leave condolences, please visit, www.brennanmathenafh.com.

Arrangements entrusted to Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home, 800 SW 6th Ave., Topeka, KS 66603.