Gisela Elfrieda Willems Von Riesen

Gisela Elfrieda Von Riesen was born in Schattkau, Germany on January 30th,1925 to Walter and Elizabeth Willems. She was one of six children. They were an affluent family and lived on a dairy farm complete with servants. She and her sister, Brunhild, were inseparable. Gisela’s father died when she was ten and her mother and brother helped run the farm. When Gisela was 14, she went to a prestige school where she learned Latin and other disciplines.

With WW2, tragedy stuck the family. Gisela’s two older brothers, who were 18 and 19 died as soldiers. During the war, the family had to flee their farm and pack all that they could on a cart. They left everything behind which had been passed down through generations and travelled to East Germany. They could not return to their homeland. Conditions in the East were not good and so when Gisela was 20, she fled to the west while he sister, who was married, stayed in the east.

In Dusseldorf, West Germany, Gisela worked as a maid for a wealthy family, and was promoted to executive secretary for that family’s company. For this chapter in her life, Gisela was quite a jet setter, being single and well paid. She took many vacations in many of Europe’s hot spots.

Gisela’s desire was to immigrate to Canada. The industrialist family for who she worked for in Germany loved her and discouraged her from doing so. She couldn’t be dissuaded and so contacted a family acquaintance from their homeland that had already settled in Canada. That acquaintance was our dad, Garry Von Riesen. Garry and Gisela corresponded for many years. They would send tapes back and forth. Gisela’s immigration process was delayed for 6 years, possibly because she had had TB. Eventually in 1959, Gisela came to Canada.

Later that year, Gisela and Garry were married. They had two children, Ingo and Karin. They built a business together and thrived in Abbotsford. They were a close knit family and participated in many events and vacations.

In 1982, Gisela’s husband became ill. The next ten years Gisela devoted herself to take care of her husband, who died in 1992. Those were difficult years. Gisela leaned on her church, Eben-Ezer and her friends for support.

Garry’s death corresponded with the fall of the Berlin Wall and so she was once again able to reunite with her sister after many years. Gisela and Brunhild travelled often together with a highlight being a trip to Hawaii, one of Gisela’s favourite vacation spots. Gisela also enjoyed travelling with her many friends throughout the years.

In 1993, Gisela’s daughter, Karin married Kris Kingston and in 1996 her first grandchild, Rebecca was born. In that same month, her son, Ingo married Lorena Klassen. Gisela’s second granddaughter, Erin was born in 1997. In 1999, Michael was born and in 2000 Alia was born. She loved playing, singing and shopping for her grandchildren.

In March of 2002, due to illness Gisela moved up to Smithers to be closer to Karin and her family. Her next two grandchildren were born in 2003(Evan) and 2006 (Alek).

Gisela lived in Smithers until she died on May 2, 2011. Her connection with her sister has continued throughout her life and they died within 3 months of each other.