Gisela Berta DeMarco

Gisela Berta DeMarco (nee Wuermlin) passed away peacefully in her daughter's home in Beeville, Texas on Friday, November 10, 2023. She was born in Frankfurt, Germany on June 20th, 1927 to loving parents Ludwig and Franziska Wuermlin.

On September 1st, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, initiating WW II. Her father refused to join the Nazi Party and was therefore unable to gain employment. He was however eventually able to land a job in Munich with a Swiss company. Gisela and her mother stayed in Frankfurt while Gisela attended Catholic schools, including Ursuline Academy. Hitler began closing the Catholic schools and Gisela remembered leaving her classroom at Ursuline for the last time as the nuns were crying and blessing each of the girls with holy water.

On October 3rd 1943, their home was bombed. By the Grace of God, she and her mother survived, and were reunited with her father at the train station the next day. When the war ended in 1945, Gisela applied for employment at the American PX in Munich and was hired by a very dashing young American GI by the name of Private Victor F. DeMarco.

After a brief courtship, Victor went back to the US to attend college. Gisela eventually followed but was forced to relinquish her German citizenship per post-war regulations. They were married on February 5th, 1949, in Philadelphia, PA. Six children and many cities/countries later, they finally settled in Dallas Texas. While raising her children and navigating life as a military wife and family moving every few years, Gisela obtained her bachelors and master’s degrees and began work on her PhD. She taught English and Latin at Ursuline and Jesuit in Dallas as well as German at Brookhaven Community College. After her husband Victor died unexpectedly in 1982, she began work as a travel agent, putting together and leading tours mostly to Germany. In 1988, Gisela started and ran a nonprofit German School for children, The German School of Dallas, which is still flourishing today. Her efforts were rewarded with the German Friendship Award, one of the highest decorations bestowed by Germany on a non-citizen recognizing career achievements and success in fostering German-American relations.

Gisela had a strong passion for traveling which was passed on to her 6 children and 15 grandchildren. She loved learning and had an abundant amount of energy and enthusiasm. She will be missed dearly, with the only consolation that she is finally, after 41 long years, reunited with the love of her life.

Gisela's parents Ludwig and Franziska Wuermiln and her husband Victor Francis DeMarco precede her in death. She is survived by her six children, Adele DeMarco, Karen DeMarco Kremers (Hank), Kathleen DeMarco Stephens (Elmer), Douglas DeMarco (Cheryle), Christina DeMarco Elder (Dan), and David DeMarco (Kimberlee); and her 15 grandchildren Colt Adams, Brooke Adams, Austin Kremers (Tami), Kristin Kremers Walker (Colt), Karoline Kremers Walker (Chuck), Keleigh Kremers, Cameron Kremers, Douglas Stephens, Morgan Stephens Rohan (Geoff), Emma Stephens Tomlinson (Connor), Anthony DeMarco (Krystal), Myka DeMarco, Michael Elder (Nivek), Nicholas Elder (Hope), Joseph Elder (Amanda); and he 15 1/2 great grandchildren.

The Rosary will be 6:00 PM on Sunday, November 19th, 2023 at Calvary Hill Funeral Home, 3235 Lombardy Ln. Dallas TX 75220.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 AM on Monday, November 20th, 2023 at St. Rita Catholic Church, 12521 Inwood Rd. Dallas, TX 75244 with Rev. Mark Nguyen. Interment will follow in Calvary Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that remembrances be made to The German School of Dallas at P.O Box 793388, Dallas, Texas 75379. ([email protected].)

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.calvaryhilldallas.com for the Demarco family.