Ingrid Eva Luise Wisniewski

Ingrid Wisniewski born on November 5, 1950 was God’s gift to the world. On January 24, 2020, He took her home. Her departure despite a long and brave battle with cancer was filled with the same courage, optimism and spirit she brought to life and to the people and the work she loved. She devoted more than two decades of her life working as a civilian Human Resources Specialist with the Department of the Army, an occupation and organization perfectly suited to her fierce desire to care for others. Her career assignments began in Germany, her native country, extended to Panama, Puerto Rico and lastly back to Germany where she retired in November 2008. Upon retirement, she and her beloved husband, Stanley, relocated to Longboat Key, Florida.

In life, she was our coach, mentor, teacher and friend. She went above and beyond to ensure our success and along the way she enriched all our lives. She certainly made our world a better place and she showed us in death her personal courage, faith and love. Her physical presence is gone, but the lessons she taught us in life and while courageously approaching death will serve us all well for many years to come.

Ingrid was a student of Anglistics and Germanistics language and literature and was a graduate of the LUDWIG-MAXIMILIANS at the University of Munich. She was an elaborate and polished speaker who could communicate in 7 languages, these being English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Hungarian, and Latin. She was brilliant.

While serving the United States Army in Munich, Hanau and Heidelberg, Germany, Ingrid's impact went well beyond her official job duties. She performed her official duties with precision, competence and perfection, whether training US Army officials to handle bad conduct or poor performance issues in the US or German workforce, coordinating prestigious awards ceremonies, or representing US Army Commanders with officials in the local community. Ingrid was the go-to person for high ranking Commanders to negotiate new policies with local works councils (the German equivalent of labor unions). She was trusted completely to represent their positions with professionalism and a particular focus on sustaining positive relationships. She had the wisdom and skill to talk with different people with different views and convince them to take a certain action to achieve a solution to a nagging problem or issue. She never failed to make all those around her look good.

However, beyond the job, Ingrid took countless Army employees from the US under her wing to ensure we adjusted to living in a country where we were not versed in the language or culture. Ingrid helped us find housing, negotiated with our potential landlords on our behalf, guided us in arranging for our logistical needs and in behaving respectfully in the new culture. On many occasions, she stepped up to the plate to help her colleagues with personal or professional problems. The difficulty of the problem didn’t stop Ingrid from engaging. Whether it was a lost puppy, a medical issue or death in a family, she was on it with fierce dedication and eagerness to help and never ever looked for praise or credit for her goodwill. Ingrid quickly became family to all of us who worked with her. She was selfless in helping others learning how to live in a new country and she never seemed to tire of going the extra mile to help. It was never about her. Ingrid wanted to make the world a better place, one person at a time, one community at a time and the U.S. Army was an ideal platform for her to achieve that mission.

Ingrid was the right person at the right time in Germany for it was fraught with turbulence for the U.S. Army civilian employees. Installations were being closed, consolidated and relocated and included the closure of Munich, Fulda, transfer V Corps staff from Frankfurt to Heidelberg, closure of Frankfurt, and reduction and realignment of employees in Hanau and Giessen. There was major impact on the civilian employees, both U.S. and host nation employees. Ingrid’s foresight, wisdom, fortitude and wealth of knowledge were instrumental in the development of a model approach to these actions. Her philosophy that a workforce so severely affected must be better informed than ever before, that affected employees be taken care of to the maximum extent and that the U.S. Army meet their moral obligation to preserve employees’ dignity as a result of these events. Ingrid’s personal commitment and devoted involvement in execution ensured successful completion of these overwhelming demands. She worked day and night and was always the last person to leave the office, many times late into the night.

It is important to note that Ingrid during these days drove around in a little sports car. She was known for driving fast. Her trips to Fulda were quite a ride particularly for the passenger as she sailed up the autobahn at 100 miles per hour. The passenger always arrived in Fulda with white knuckles and trembling hands.

Among Ingrid’s attributes was her ability to have fun whenever possible. There were many days in Munich when those attending the Commander’s staff meeting would look out the window to see Ingrid and a friend roller skating to work. She soon learned that a hard day’s work made for a difficult time skating home in the late afternoons.

Ingrid had a natural beauty of which she was unaware. Anyone could make a pony tail or a bun, but only Ingrid could come out looking like a model for Vogue. Whether she was wearing shoes of the same color and design, or one black and one blue, or shoes of the same color but one with a bow and the other with a buckle, she just chuckled and went on with the day (but perhaps keeping one foot slyly placed behind the other). She was quite focused. Many times she would be intent on a mission and go without putting on a coat in cold weather or go outside without an umbrella when it was raining.

Ingrid loved sock hops at the gymnasium, girls' nights out, and one-on-on time with a multitude of friends. Gatherings at the Italian Café for cappuccino or a glass of wine after a long day at the office were commonplace. Somehow she always had time for her friends. Ingrid was an amazing woman!

Ingrid loved the oceans, beaches, warm weather, tropical breezes and lush green grass. So in 1995 she went to work in Panama where two oceans meet and abundant sandy beaches, warm trade winds, lush green grass, iguanas, geckos, and of course kind and gentle people of Panama. She was in paradise. How lucky can you get? There was only one small problem, she had to work and work she did, days, nights, weekends, and holidays. There was little time to play but she did get to see one of the wonders of the world each and every day as she drove to work – The Panama Canal.

Upon settling in, Ingrid quickly found herself in the midst of another major closure, drawdown and relocation of employees brought on by the Carter-Torrijos Treaty between the Presidents of the United States of America and Republic of Panama. The Treaty implementing statute required total closure and withdrawal of all U.S. Forces from the Republic of Panama by Noon, December 31, 1999. Again, Ingrid worked vigorously to take care of those civilian employees adversely affected by the implementation of the Treaty. The plans, programs and processes to preserve employees’ dignity were paramount to her. She pushed hard to ensure the civilian employees understood their benefits and entitlements and all the complexities of the drawdown rules and their impact on them. She was a real advocate for teaching employees techniques and coping mechanisms to deal with emotional issues brought on by this action. She had a lasting impact on the Army employees in Panama including those in the Human Resources Office who were also adversely affected.

Ingrid was an outstanding and superb cook. She could produce a spread the likes of which would be the envy of the Food Network and could even be candidates for the renowned Michelin awards. She owned every kitchen gadget, tool and appliance known to the best restaurateurs/chefs and she was always on the lookout for any new and innovative gadgets that appeared on the market.

Ingrid never did anything in a small way. Whether a simple little gift or a quick little something to eat, Ingrid had the effortless flair to make a beautiful presentation complete with every little detail in check. Her preparation for working breakfasts and luncheons for hosting top commanding generals and other officials were beyond the imagination. Her presentation of the food was absolutely exceptional and it was served in a manner that would please Emily Post. Bone china was a must as were linen table cloths with matching linen napkins. There were no exceptions. That was the rule and she made sure it was followed. There’s more! No plastic flatware was permitted on her table for she provided the real stuff. As expected, her efforts always drew enormous praise from all in attendance and no doubt assisted in our organization gaining recognition for excellence in command awards.

Ingrid’s favorite color was royal blue. To prove it, all her china, wine glasses and champagne flutes had to be BLUE. She even named her last puppy BLUE and she and her husband Stan adored and profoundly loved him until he passed 5 years ago after living a healthy 17 years faithfully by their side.

Ingrid was a devoted and loving wife to Stan and he in turn viewed the world through her beautiful eyes. There was not anything they would not do to please one another and when Ingrid told Stan she wanted to buy a retirement home on the beach in Panama they did. They settled on an island, Taboga, one hour from the city. Their plan was to spend four months in Germany where Ingrid’s parents lived, four months in Longboat Key and four summer months in Panama. As fate would have it they only got to enjoy their island home for several visits due to Stan’s unexpected passing shortly after her retirement in 2008. Ingrid returned on her own for two additional visits but she confided it was too emotionally stressful for her to continue the visits without Stan.

Ingrid was one of a kind employee, smart, dedicated, steadfast and talented. She was without peers and was in a class all her own. Her qualities were the envy of all who knew her. She was a natural born critical thinker, planner, and communicator. Shakespearean with her pen, no proofreading or rewriting necessary. Her ethics and integrity were unquestionable and she expected no less from those around her. Ingrid was a true loving Christian with a strong faith. She cared for the needy and homeless the same as the most affluent people. It is not to say Ingrid would not demand a say and to be heard on an issue. Her strong and stern character and personality led her to tell it like it was. She left no doubt about where she stood. This was one of her finest qualities.

Leonard Wickham offers this classic Ingrid Wisniewski quote. “Upon learning of Ingrid’s passing, my grieving heart was so heavy, I remembered what she told me when she heard of the passing of Lyle’s and my BELOVED mother, Esperanza , of whom Ingrid and Stan were very fond and she of them. Ingrid immediately, within one hour of learning, called from Germany and here is what she told me: “Leonard, if you are sad, she is sad and if you cry, she cries”. This will forever be etched in the forefront of my mind. Ingrid, I will try my best not to be sad and I will try my best not to cry but I cannot make any promises.”

Ingrid made our world a much better place. We miss her greatly. We were blessed to have her as a friend and now we are blessed to have her as our guardian angel.

A memorial mass will begin at 11 am on Tuesday, February 11, 2020 at St. Mary Star of the Sea, 4280 Gulf of Mexico Dr., Longboat Key, FL 34228, where Ingrid was an active member.

A Special Poem for Ingrid

When our hearts are heavy and we can't think straight

We find we've learned about life's final fate.

If only we could have just one more chance

To say "thanks", "I love you", and have one final glance.

But time moves forward and so must we

One foot in front of the other, slowly, sadly.

Maybe one day, instead of clouds, we'll see sun

Maybe instead of gloom, we'll have some fun.

Maybe in a while, maybe we don't know when

We'll regain our strength, we'll think clearly again.

Thank you, God, for this very dear friend

Help us remember it's a beginning, not the end.

Author: Cheryl Baumgartner

May you rest in the peace you so richly deserve.

Reflections provided by: Cheryl Baumgartner, Cheryl Jacobsen Bohn, Lois Keith, Kathy Tober, Leonard Wickham and Lyle Wickham.