Alice (Frankenhauser) Wheeler, 67, of Medfield, MA, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, May 8, 2020 after a long battle with ALS.
She is survived by her loving husband Gary Wheeler of Medfield, daughter Robin (Wheeler) Mailhot of Woburn, son Brian Wheeler, her sister Janet Watson of Marco Island, FL, son-in-law Aaron Mailhot, and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Alice was the daughter of the late Donald and Madeline Frankenhauser of Falmouth, MA, and daughter-in-law of the late Donald and Lilian Wheeler of Canton, MA. She was sister to the late Karen Fitzpatrick of Canton and the late Colonel David Frankenhauser of Maryland.
Alice grew up in Hobart, Indiana, a member of Hobart High School class of 1970 and graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. She served as a Registered Nurse for 42 years in many capacities. Her career began in Indianapolis where she worked at the Riley Pediatric Burn Unit and as a public health nurse. She moved to Massachusetts in the 1980’s and served as a head nurse at one of the resident cottages of the (then) Massachusetts Hospital School in Canton. Most recently she served as a Certified Operating Room Nurse at Brigham & Woman’s Faulkner Hospital, up until the time of her retirement in early 2017.
She was an active member of the United Church in Walpole and had served as a deacon. She enjoyed helping on Medfield’s 350th Anniversary Committee, was a member of the Medfield Garden Club, Medfield Historical Society and had volunteered at the Dwight Derby House and the Peak House both in Medfield, and at the New Life Furniture Bank in Walpole. For a number of years, she had been a part-time reporter/photographer for the Medfield Home Town Weekly.
Alice had bravely shared her years of ALS in a series of articles that she wrote for local newspapers. She had a great interest in ancestry and completed an extensive history of her family a few months before her passing. She was a loving, caring person throughout her life, always thinking of others. Alice will be so very missed by all.
A memorial service will be held at a future time.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Healey Center for ALS at The Massachusetts General Hospital.
