Did you or do you have a dear grandma, or in our case, Oma?
Gisela Kinscheck, Oma, was actually my kid’s Oma; she was my husband’s mother, Gisela Kinscheck, my mother-in-law.
Gisela Kinscheck July 9th, 1927- May 4th, 2026)
My wonderful mother-in-law Gisela Kinscheck went to meet Jesus today. She was almost 99 years old (July 9th) and lived a mostly healthy, vibrant life.
Some people don’t get along with their mother in laws, not me. Gisela has always been loving and supportive of me ever since that first phone call when she gave me recipes for some of Ralph’s favorite foods so I could impress him on a date! This picture is shortly after Ralph and I were engaged.
Julie, Ingrid (Ralph’s Sister), Ralph, Harry & Gisela Knscheck
After we had the twins she and Ralph’s Dad, Harry, would come visit often to help us out. They loved their grandchildren fiercely and they loved their Oma. She also loved to lead ladies’ Bible studies, swim, plant flowers and bake German cookies!
Oma (Gisela) and Opa (Harry) with baby twins Caleb & Hannah (April 2004)
She also loved to support her family in all our musical performances, even insisting on carrying music stands into her 80’s! But she couldn’t carry a tune herself.
Carrying my music stand at a gig!
She was loving and tough! She lived through Hitler as a teenager in Germany during WWII, came to the US as a young mother with two little girls and her husband and they built a successful business in the Chicago area from nothing to the point where they could be very generous to others… supporting missionaries in several countries and even known to regularly help out their employees when they had need.
We got her Mickey ears at Little Germany in her honor!
They were so proud that they came over with almost nothing and never took a dollar of help from the government, became American citizens and enjoyed long life here.
She loved to tell stories about those times.
One thing I will always remember is that she would never waste food. -and would eat most anything. Apparently, during the war things got so bad that they had harvest and boil weeds and roots to survive. She was rarely sick and didn’t take any medications till well into her 80’s.
She also enjoyed exercise and in later years, swimming and walking. She took many walks with our family at local parks. She also walked a mile a day in her neighborhood until age 97!
She also loved her family. She loved her husband Harry of over 50 years and her children Renate, Ingrid and Ralph. Sadly, Renate, was often estranged from the family and was rarely present in the later years of Gisela’s life. Ingrid was her closest confidant but sadly passed away of a brain tumor in 2018. pictures below are with Ingrid, and then at both Harry and Ingrid’s funerals.
Ingrid’s funeral
She was also there for her grandchildren, Caleb and Hannah for their High School Graduations and helped put them both through college. Sadly she was unable to come to their college graduations this Spring, having passed within 2 weeks of each.
Gisela was a friend to all. She often spent holidays with us in Billerica, here is a picture of her with our family and our dear friends the Roscoes. Alan Roscoe, is also since passed on from cancer, as well as Jeannine De Franza who passed only last year.
She endeared herself to our friends and my ladies bible study group. Her she is will my good friend Rebekah.
I so fondly remember the Christmas when both my mom, Polly (passed in 2022) and Gisela came to our home!
Gisela Kinscheck & Polly Joan
During one of her longer visits to us (about 9 months) Gisela slipped in our kitchen and broke both her wrist and shoulder. This set her back considerably. But she rarely complained. Later she fell at home in North Carolina and broke her pelvis; but she even bounced back from that, though that did end her daily walking routine. It also ended her ability to travel to see us. We then only came to see her a few times a year in North Carolina where she lived with Keith, her daughter Ingrid’s widower.
We tried to take her walking outside with her walker in July last year. Here is a picture. But it wore her out and we didn’t get too far.
In July when we sang “Happy Birthday” said we looked forward to seeing her at Christmas she said, “No! I hope not!” She was ready to go home to God then, but God kept her around for another visit in December of 2025. Here are some pictures from her last Christmas and our last time seeing her ini person. She had trouble keeping a complete sentence straight by then.
She passed peacefully in her sleep at her home in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina where she lived with her son in law, Keith Williams.
Keith had cared for her full time the last couple of years. He was amazing! He attended to every need, often researching natural remedies to help her with things the doctors had no answers for! We loved and forever appreciate you, Keith!
We will miss Gisela, Oma, soooo much!
Hug Jesus for us!
Enjoy the angel choir!
She is survived in life by her son and daughter in law, Ralph and Julie Kinscheck and daughter Renate Kinscheck, Son in law, Keith Williams and grandchildren, Hannah and Caleb Kinscheck.
She was preceded in death by her husband Harry Kinscheck (2008) and daughter Ingrid Kinscheck (2018).
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” – Revelation 21:4