Alice and Richard Wildermuth

Alice & Richard Wildermuth

Alice Blythe (Allison) Wildermuth, 85, of Erie, Illinois and Terlingua, TX, passed away at her home in Erie on August 4, 2025, after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. She was born February 9, 1940, in Wilmette, Illinois, to John and Louise (Tiffany) Allison.

Richard A. Wildermuth passed at the age of 87 on March 18, 2021, in El Paso, Texas from complications after a fall near his winter home in Terlingua. He was born to Virgil and Mina (Letherman) Wildermuth on July 26, 1932.

Alice graduated from New Trier High School in Wilmette, Illinois in 1958 and attended Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, where she met Richard. A 1955 graduate of the Missouri School of Mines at Rolla, he was pursuing a Masters in Industrial Engineering. They were united in marriage on February 4, 1961, in Wilmette.

Alice worked in the insurance and travel industries, and Richard was an industrial engineer for manufacturers including Bell and Howell, Hyster, and McLaughlin before becoming a full-time farmer near Erie. Both were volunteer Whiteside County 4-H leaders, and Alice was active in Home Extension and assisted youth groups at Erie United Methodist Church. In retirement, they split their time between the farm in Erie and their daughter's home in Terlingua, Texas on the edge of Big Bend National Park. There, they enjoyed volunteering for the Terlingua Recycles program and the South Brewster County Library Project, and hiking or "porch picnicking" with many dear friends.

They are survived by their son, John Wildermuth of Port Byron; daughters, Ann Wildermuth of Terlingua, TX, Marilyn (Art) Granzeier of Pittsburgh, PA, and Arlene Williams of Warren, PA; sisters, Cindy Wildermuth of East Moline and Mary Wildermuth of Muscatine IA; sister-in-law, Sheila Wildermuth of Hampton; nephew, Randy (Melinda) Wildermuth of Port Byron; and niece, Darcy (Andrew) Carter of Tauranga, New Zealand. Their grandchildren are Amy Scott Williams (Oscar Murillo) of Williamsburg, VA, Towodi Williams of Warren, PA, Art (Melani) Granzeier of Lower Burrell, PA, Kenneth (Shay) Granzeier of Hookstown, PA, Sean (Mattie) Granzeier of Canyon Lake, TX, Scott (Niccole) Granzeier of Georgetown, PA, Jeffrey Granzeier of Pittsburgh, PA, Paul (Lakiya) Granzeier of Allison Park, PA, Katie (Reid) Granzeier of Peters Township, PA, Stephen (Molly) Granzeier of Resort, TX, and Peter (Ashley) Granzeier of Cleveland, OH. They also leave 19 great-grandchildren.

They were preceded in death by their parents; brother, Peter Wildermuth; and son-in-law, Al Williams.

Per their wishes there were no services, as they wanted everyone to remember them as they last met. In lieu of flowers or travel expenses, memorial contributions may be made to the Big Bend Citizens' Alliance (https://bigbendcitizensalliance.org/) or your favorite NPR or PBS station.

The family wishes to extend special thanks to Loren and Tara Gabriel of Erie, Tim and Julie McKenna of Terlingua, and the entire team at Beacon of Hope Hospice.