A private family graveside service for Alice Harnish, 80-year-old Sheridan resident who passed away Monday morning at Sheridan Memorial Hospital, will be held Friday, November 6 at 11:00 a.m. at Sheridan Municipal Cemetery, with Pastor Scott Lee officiating.

Donations in Alice’s memory may be made to Bethesda Worship Center or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Care of the Harness Funeral Home at 351 N. Adams in Buffalo.

Online condolences may be made at www.harnessfuneralhome.com.

Alice Jeanette Harnish was born on October 14, 1940 in Sheridan, Wyoming to Jean Allen and Margaret (Schnorf) Kimmel. She grew up on the family ranch on Young’s Creek where she attended country school and graduated from Sheridan High School with the class of 1958. During High School she met the only love of her life, Bernard Harnish, they were married on December 23, 1958. In the early years of marriage, she spent her only time away from Wyoming on the Naval Bases in Norfolk, Virginia and China Lake, California while Bernard was serving in the U.S. Navy. She would often tell stories how she traveled by train across the U.S. going from Naval Base to Naval Base with her two toddlers and a baby on the way.

Together they raised their five children, and they enjoyed many great adventures in the Big Horn Mountains and at Lake DeSmet. Alice worked many different jobs, including Harnish Dental Lab which they owned and operated for many years. In 1982, they purchased Stop and Shop Grocery which they operated until the early 2000’s. They sold Stop and Shop and Alice began her career serving others when she went to work for Renew. In 2010 she took a job with the Veteran’s Affair’s Medical Center where she worked until her retirement in April of 2020.

Alice loved being active doing and experiencing life up until her death. She absolutely lived for her family, and gatherings where she was always the very best cook. All her family was always welcome in her kitchen, some sitting on chairs, floor, counters or standing to share laughter, memories, stories and food. Often times sharing “true” stories to which she was not privy, and she would giggle and turn red, which brought out her cute and jovial personality.

Alice loved birthdays, picnics, trips to the mountains, camping, fishing, traveling - especially cruises, and being with her church family. Many evenings were spent playing dice with her family and brother Jean Kimmel Jr. Holiday dinners grew so big that they had to rent larger spaces to accommodate love, companionship and of course all the food. Alice and Bernard built such an amazing family full of so much love and many traditions. They both worked hard, played hard, loved deeply, and never gave up during the tough times. Their children have truly been blessed with the best parents ever.

Alice is survived by three sons, Bernard Harnish Jr., Allen Harnish and his wife Brenda and William “Bill” Harnish all of Sheridan; two daughters, Kerrie Kimmel and Peggy Steir and her husband John also of Sheridan; one brother Jean “Bub” Kimmel Jr. of Sheridan; twenty-five grandchildren; twenty great-grandchildren; many cousins, nieces, nephews and a great host of friends that were family to her.

She was preceded in death by her husband Bernard, her parents and two brothers, Billy and Leonard Kimmel.

The Sheridan Press - November 5, 2020.