GISELA RETTINGER

A visitation will be from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Monday, March 25, 2019 at the Laufersweiler-Sievers Funeral Home with a Legion of Mary Rosary beginning at 3:00 p.m. Funeral services will be at 1:30 pm Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at Corpus Christi Church with Msgr. Kevin McCoy officiating the Mass of Christian Burial. Burial will follow in the Corpus Christi Cemetery.

Gisela Basaraba was born October 26, 1920 in Vrsac, Yugoslavia. She was united in marriage to Andrew Rettinger in Vrsac in 1944. They established their home there while Andrew completed his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, and later moved to Vienna, Austria. In 1956, the couple and their three children immigrated to the United States to Mason City, Iowa, and in 1958 moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa. Gisela was a long term employee of the Webster County Auditor’s Office. She also taught German classes in adult education for many years. Among her many talents, she was an accomplished artist working with clay, water color, mixed media, handmade paper, and more. She traveled throughout the United States and Mexico to various art classes. She was also an avid animal lover and served on the board for the Almost Home Humane Society for over 20 years.

Gisela is survived by her daughter, Johanna (Jeff) Bockoven of Des Moines; son, George Rettinger of Denver, CO; 3 grandchildren: Cathy Murray of Indianola, Erich Rettinger of Denver, CO, and Stewart Rettinger of San Francisco, CA; and her constant companion, her cat “Billy”.

She was preceded in death by her parents Milosh and Maria (Cseppera) Basaraba, her husband Dr. Andrew Rettinger, her son Peter Rettinger, and her infant sister Elfriede Basaraba.

Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family.