I wanted to share my family’s deepest condolences to you all.  We loved Gisela dearly.  She was the best neighbor in  Albuquerque.  Growing up and sharing time with her, Jim and Monika was a pleasure.  
I will always will remember her laugh,  energy and deep devotion to her family and friends.  She taught me a lot about hard work and not being afraid to try something new. 
Love you and will continue to pray for her and you all.

May the peace of God bless you and remain with you all. 

Love,
Joyce Montoya-Roach
Albuquerque


Dear Gisela,
"Thanks for the Memories!" Seriously. We've butted heads often in our 56-year relationship and over things that seem trivial now in the bigger scheme of things.  One of your oft used sayings I recall at the moment is, "I'm not perfect. No one is.  I'm just being me!" And, that you were :). Unique, one-of-a-kind, one-in-a million. Special. The way God intended for each of us.  Believe it or not, I truly miss you already, but I'm so happy at the thought of you not having to spend any more days and nights alone with only Benji and memories of old as comfort. But on the positive side we were able to achieve what you wished after the devastating loss of Monika, Jimmy and your mom in 2004 and Jim in 2011: You wanted to live and die in your home and be comforted and surrounded with your memories and your loving Leo, Gordie and Benji. To make this happen you needed to find purpose and a reason to keep on living. That you did. Most importantly "just being there" for each of us - especially Kelly and Kaitlyn, but Helga and my family as well. I hope you will somehow get word of what we all have written here and what Helga, Kelly, Kaitlyn and others will say about you today. I can hear you now: "Why didn't all of you tell me more of this when I was alive!" Isn't it crazy how sometimes we just have to die to get people to express their feelings for you? You really needed love more than you seemed to get. And, drat - you did so openly express it for us.  Thank goodness my (our) kids are much better at expressing their feelings than me.  Love seems to be so many different things to each of us. I never got to wrapped up in the emotional part - sad to say.  As you were affected by how and where you grew up - so was I.  So are each of us. Anyway, starting to ramble.  I'm nearing my 2000 - character max. Looking forward to seeing you again and hearing your side of the story. Love, Stan

Gisela  was always so happy, active, and determined. She loved everyone and had an amazing outlook on life. Gone too soon but she is looking down and smiling on all of us.  I know many, many people will miss her smile and presence. Love you my adopted Omi!! 

Since we visited Gisela, Jim, Monika and my Oma ‚Amerika‘ Hildegard for the first time in Orlando in 1997 we stood in permanent contact with Gisela - in good times and in bad times. We had 4 great visits in Florida and numerous telephone calls and really funny and hours of FaceTime Sessions with her. All the time we felt a close relationship to our family in America. Gisela was a strong link for this relationship. We miss her painfully! Also Jim and Monika and Oma!

Daniel&Iris Schulz 
Biebertal, Germany 


Meine liebe Tante Gisela,
When I was a child, you taught me how to be a charming little lady! You crocheted beautiful dresses for me! How I loved dressing up in your frilly nightgowns and fancy high-heeled shoes and spending hours putting on makeup while I sat at your vanity trying to look just like you! Thank you for putting me in charm school and introducing me to modeling. When I was a young woman, you taught me harder lessons, like surviving WWII Germany. And then, when I was married and had a family of my own, I learned some gut-wrenching lessons from you. I learned how to say goodbye as I watched you say goodbye to your Mutti, my beloved Oma; to your only daughter, your precious Monika; and to the love of your life, your Jim. Do you remember telling me that the key to a happy marriage is to never go to bed angry? Through it all, you were a lady. And, you and my mom always found that Berliner humor even in the midst of great sadness. Most importantly, you have left me with such lessons on faith. With the cards that have been dealt to you, most people would have understood if your faith would have slipped. But, it didn’t. Your faith never wavered. Thank you for that gift. It has sustained me as I have tackled some challenges in my own life. Know that you live on in all the lives that you have touched--especially in Monika’s beautiful daughters--Katie and Kelly.I will miss you. I will miss our Facebook Messenger conversations. I’ve already gone through them all. I will miss our Facetime talks and our phone chats. I will miss sending you a birthday, Christmas, or Mother’s Day gift. I will miss your husky voice and your contagious laughter. I will miss your stories of growing up in Germany and reminiscing about Monika. I will miss your advice. Mostly, I will miss the sisterly bond I witnessed between you and my mom. It was something special, and I know that your absence from her life is going to be hard. I hope you know how much you were cherished. Ich liebe dich!


Aunt Gisela- you will be terribly missed. Although you were Michael’s aunt, I felt like you were my aunt.  We had the best conversations and I loved that you shared stories of your childhood and what you and your family endured. You always had a great wit about you and I loved when you gave my husband a hard time.  My comfort right now is that you are at the side of our Savior and catching up with your precious family.  Thank you for always accepting me and loving me as your niece. Til we meet again my friend. 

Tante Gisela was one of the funniest, most talented people I've ever known - she could literally crochet anything.  She was also a champion bowler, efficient golfer and Yahtzee whiz.  I will never forget playing golf with her and Uncle Jim in Albuquerque when I was 13 years old.  Uncle Jim gave me a few tips on the range.  Aunt Gila played the whole course with her 3 wood and a putter and scored respectably.  She said in her thick German accent and unique, husky voice, "I hit this one the same as all the rest, so why not go with what works?"  That was Gila in a nutshell to me.  I will forever be inspired by her big laugh, love of life, adventuresome spirit and independent thinking.  She was truly one in a million.  She will be dearly missed.  The photo below shows a cow she made for me just a few months ago without a pattern - just her own creative eye and a commitment to making me smile.  It worked.  The cow's name is Milky.  

OBITUARY

Gisela Aitken

21 March, 1933 – 30 July, 2022

Baldwin-Fairchild Oaklawn Chapel

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