Gnade, Laura Elizabeth (Giesing) -- 1915 - 2011

GNADE, GIESING, SCHRANDT, TEKIPPE, MEYER, FEICKERT, ANTHONY, HANK, SCHNIEDER, ROETTGER, PIEPER

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 6/30/2012 at 17:00:24

Laura Gnade, age 95, of Calmar, IA died Saturday, October 1, 2011 at the Ossian Senior Hospice in Ossian Iowa.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, October 7, 2011 at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Calmar, IA. Rev. Donald Hawes presiding, burial will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be on 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Thursday, October 6, 2011 at the Schluter - Balik Funeral Home French Chapel in Calmar, IA. There will be a rosary at 5:00 and scripture service at 6:00. There will also be visitation after 10:00 at the church on Friday.

Laura Gnade, age 95, joined her husband of 60 years, Gene, in heaven on October 1, 2011. It would have been his 100th birthday. She died peacefully at the Ossian Senior Hospice where she had made her home for the last 2 ½ years.

Laura Elizabeth Giesing was born December 28,1915 on the family farm between Calmar & Festina to Joseph & Anna (Schrandt) Giesing. Laura graduated from St Mary’s School in Festina. She worked as a cook and housekeeper for families in the Chicago area. She met Gene in Techny, IL. They were married April 17,1950 at Our Lady of Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Festina, IA. They farmed the farm where she was born until moving to Calmar in 1978 where they shared a duplex with her sister Florence & Romie Tekippe.

Laura lived her Catholic faith every day. She took great joy in feeding the hungry; her family, relatives, friends and neighbors. She loved to bake for holidays, bazaars and every day occasions. Laura’s family was the most important part of her life. She was a devoted wife to her husband Gene, a wonderful mother to Paul & Mary and a beloved grandmother to her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was very close to her sister Florence. Their families joined for holidays for many years. In town, they took turns cooking supper and eating together every night. She loved visits from Gene’s parents, brothers, sisters and their families from Missouri.

Laura had a large vegetable garden which provided abundant food for her family. Her special joy was growing flowers especially peonies and gladiolas. Her flowers graced the altars at St. Aloysius church for many Sundays and weddings. She loved giving anyone who visited a bouquet of flowers to take home. She brought flowers to her mother several times a week when she lived in a nursing home. Quilting, sewing and letter writing were her hobbies. She was a member of St. Aloysius Church, Rosary Society, a 50 year member of the American Legion Auxillary and the Calmar Senior Citizens. She volunteered at Winneshiek Memorial Hospital and the Ossian Senior Hospice.

Laura’s survivors include her children Mary (David) Meyer of Camanche, IA & Paul (Kathleen) Gnade of Ft. Atkinson, IA. Six grandchildren Russell (Manitou Springs, CO), Michelle (Columbus, OH), Michael (Fitchburg, WI), Patrick & wife Jenn (Des Moines), Sarah & husband Travis Feickert of Calmar & Alan & friend Missy of Ossian. Five great grandchildren: Aiden, Gavin & Levi Feickert and Caleb & Bailey Meyer. Four sisters-in-law: Ann Hank, Leona Schneider, Rosemary (Everett) Roettger and Jane(Len) Pieper all from Missouri. Four brothers-in-law: Jim, Bill (Delores), Charlie (Dot) and Ben (Ruth) Gnade all from Missouri & many nephews and nieces.

Laura was preceded in death by her husband Eugene, parents: Anna “& Joseph Giesing. Her sister Florence and brother-in-law Roman Tekippe. Her sisters –in-law Adele (Dick) Anthony, Laverne Gnade & Maurita Gnade, brothers-in-law John (Lorraine)Gnade, Warren Hank & Eugene Schnieder. Her great grandson in infancy Gabriel Meyer.

Source: Schluter - Balik Funeral Home database

St. Aloysius Catholic Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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