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Obituary: Ileen V. “Terry” Schiessl

Ileen V. "Terry" Schiessl
Ileen V. "Terry" Schiessl
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June 26, 1936 – December 8, 2021

Ileen ‘Terry’ Violet Schiessl, of Fredonia, Wisconsin, passed away on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at the age of 85. She was born in Milwaukee, the daughter ofCharles and Irma Gehrke on June 26, 1936. She married the love of her life, Dave Schiessl, on July 2, 1955, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Terry grew up in Milwaukee and was proud of her southside heritage. She was the youngest of three children, siblings Charles Gehrke and Ione Gehrke. She was baptized and confirmed in the Wisconsin Synod Lutheran Church. She was a high school cheerleader and graduated from Custer High School in 1954. She went on to study at Wisconsin State University, LaCrosse (UW-LaCrosse) where she met Dave. While Terry worked in retail, Dave finished his degree and began teaching in LaCrosse. After giving birth to her four children, Terry returned to college to complete her degree with a Bachelor of Science in Education. She found time to play on the school field hockey team and a community softball team. She learned to ski at Mount LaCrosse in Wisconsin where she taught her children the love and passion for skiing. Terry graduated from UWL in 1969. After accepting teaching positions in Eagle County Colorado, they packed up the station wagon and headed west. Terry taught Physical Education at Eagle Valley High School in Gypsum, Battle Mountain High School in Minturn and Eagle Elementary in Eagle, Colorado. During her many years of teaching, Terry also coached volleyball and track. For 20 years, she and Dave officiated high school volleyball. In 1973, Terry and Dave fulfilled a lifelong dream to build a house in Eagle, Colorado. Her love for gardening was renowned; their yard was a paradise in arid Colorado and Terry regularly supplied flower arrangements to the church. Terry grew up in the Lutheran Church and made sure that her faith was always present. Terry and Dave made sure that all of their children grew up in the Lutheran faith as well. Terry and her family were instrumental in the founding of Mountain Valley Lutheran Church in Eagle, Colorado. Being an avid square dancer, and being an exceptional seamstress, she made her skirts and Dave’s matching shirts. They traveled around the country representing the Colorado Square Dance Association and even sponsored the national conventions held in Vail and Denver. To this day students remember Terry’s love for square dancing, her coordinating outfits, and her desire to include square dancing into her school curriculum. Terry loved traveling so in 1984, she and Dave traveled to China and Japan for a two-month education exchange. By 1990, both retired from teaching. Terry began working at the Marriott in Vail and received several premier awards for dedicated service. They traveled to many foreign destinations. Terry was a passionate genealogist spending hours tracing her family history. During their trip to Germany, they met relatives and visited the historical family homestead.
Terry’s health began to decline and she and Dave were forced to leave their
beloved mountain home in Colorado, moving back to the familiar area of
Wisconsin in 2008. Being “Winter Texans” of Magic Valley RV Park in Weslaco, Texas she joined the quilting club in the Park. Terry was a prolific quilter making
bed quilts, lap quilts, table runners, place mats, and table top decorations for
every family member and many others. Terry enjoyed family and many friends, quilting, gardening and arranging her freshly picked flowers, traveling and visiting new places, boating and fishing, cooking, sewing, square dancing, and Dr. McGullicuddy’s. She was an active part of Lion’s Club, the Red Hats, Senior Living, and Quilting Club. Left to cherish Terry’s memory are her children David Jr. (Jennifer) Schiessl, Debra Jordan and Kent Jordan, and Daniel Schiessl; her grandchildren Otto Jordan, David Schiessl III, Emily (Paul) Ketterman, her great grandchildren, Molly and Joseph Ketterman, and Mia, her beloved Shih Tzu. She was preceded in death by her youngest son Dean, brother Charles, sister Ione, and parents, Irma and Charles Gehrke. A Memorial Service will be celebrated at 11:00a.m. on December 15, 2021 at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Grafton, WI with Rev. Mark Wagner presiding. The family will receive visitors from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. A reception will follow the service. The Eernisse Funeral Home of Port Washington, WI is assisting the family with arrangements. On-line condolences may be left at http://www.eernissefuneralhome.com


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