Alva (Alec) Kiser died early morning on Saturday, July 14, 2018 in his home following a stroke and long struggle with kidney disease.

Alec was born at home in Beckley, West Virginia on January 20, 1937 to Clidy (Clara) Nagy Kiser and James Hosea Kiser. He grew up in Beckley where he graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School. He worked at the family music business until joining the US Navy during the Korean War. There, he studied Naval Aeronautics and received advanced certification in electrical and mechanical engineering, as well as physics.

Alec met his wife Barbara while she was at college in West Virginia. He followed her to Wisconsin and worked at West’s Dairy.  On March 5, 1960 Alec married Barbara West at the Plover United Methodist Church.  Alec soon started his own development company, Kiser Construction, and formed a lifelong partnership, A&J Enterprises, with his friend, the late Jack Fahrner.  Many families in our community continue to live in the beautiful homes and apartments he built. He was sought out by family, neighbors, and even strangers for his unique talents and reputation for being able to fix anything.  In fact, his wife often accused him of breaking things just so he could repair them. His expert advice and ability to rig any object will be dearly missed.  Alec was also an artist who enjoyed painting, carving, and wood working.  He taught his daughters about design and perspective and how to capture images from nature in their art. Many of his carvings have been donated to charity auctions, and his woodworking projects are treasured by friends and family. Most recently he enjoyed making birdhouses with his much valued and most patient caregivers.  Alec’s creativity, love of teaching others, and motivation to build inspired him to problem solve and fix things every day that he lived.

Alec had several nicknames, among them “Bowana – the Great Hunter.”  As a pilot, he flew himself and friends on many hunting and fishing adventures.  In the last two decades Alec literally lived to fish, returning just three weeks ago from his rustic Canadian cabin. Alec shared his passion for the outdoors with friends, children, and family, helping to create a conservancy on the hobby farm he owns with friends near Polonia.  He inspired the love of the outdoors in his daughters and grandchildren whom he took on nature hikes, ski vacations, and fishing trips from the time they could walk. From his first rescue puppy Friskie, his Springer Spaniel dogs, most recently his devoted companion, Korby, have always been at his side.

Alec loved numbers and finances, challenging his daughters and grandchildren with math problems and riddles.  Alec is notorious for his love of a good joke, and he enjoyed retelling the stories of pranks that others played on him. His stories of escapades with his cousins and brothers have become family legends.  He was often the brunt of many well-deserved tomfooleries, which he embraced with humor. Until his stroke, Alec was an avid reader of history and mysteries, frequently completing two books a week.

Alec is survived by his wife of 58 years, Barbara West Kiser; daughters Elizabeth Jean Kiser (Eric Mansfield) and Meg Florence Blankschein (Doug Blankschein); four grandchildren, Leah and Margaret Billingham and Derek and Emma Blankschein; siblings James H. Kiser of Deland Florida and Linda Brown of Charlotte, North Carolina; and cousins Walter and Joseph Sayko.  He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Mitzi Pachuta, and his brother Douglas Kiser.

A Celebration of Life is scheduled at the Kiser home – 24th of July, 2018, from
3:30pm – 7:00pm with a reception, including a ceremony of remembrance and military honors at 5:00pm.  3340 Dan’s Drive, Stevens Point, WI 54481. Gifts in lieu of flowers may be sent to Shuda Funeral Home –3200 Stanley St. Stevens Point, WI 54481 – directed to the Alec Kiser Memorial supporting conservation efforts in Wisconsin.

Online condolences may be sent by visiting www.shudafuneral.com