Gisela Inge Jones died peacefully at her home in Seattle on November 12, 2020. Gisela was a devoted teacher, aunt, grandmother, volunteer, gardener, Seahawks fan, lover of all things Disney, and a welcoming friend and neighbor.
She was born February 21, 1951 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany to her parents Albert and Hilde Weirich. In 1953 the family immigrated to the United States and drove from New York to Peshastin, WA where Albert worked and ultimately purchased an apple orchard. An active member of her community, Gisela participated in the local church, girl scouts, pep club, and was the Peshastin-Dryden High School yearbook editor her senior year.
She graduated from Washington State University in 1974 with a degree in elementary education and went on to teach in Chelan, Manson, and Orondo. She enjoyed teaching math skills using baking measurements and always had a multitude of measuring cups in all her classrooms. A crafty and creative person, she used her skills to work on community parade floats and would often sew dresses for the royalty. Gisela also volunteered for years at the Chelan County Fair.
In 1992, Gisela fell in love with and married her best friend and neighbor, David. Gisela retired from teaching and the two purchased an investment property consisting of mini mart, storage and truck stop, where they happily worked together. Gisela and David loved to travel and explore new places on a moment’s notice, right up until David passing in 2001.
After David passed, Gisela moved to Seattle and quickly found a new role in her community. She became the heart of her neighborhood, always welcoming her neighbors inside and working on special projects. She was often seen giving out treats, sewing dresses for neighbors, or putting up decorations for the local kids. Gisela was always willing to help out in any way she could. If she wasn't home, she could be found volunteering at Children’s Hospital, where she exceeded 5000 volunteer hours, continuing until her health would no longer allow it.
She is survived by her stepdaughters Betsy Barash and Amy Hampson, five grandchildren Eliot Barash, Adeline Barash, Nathan Barash, Drew Hampson and Cade Hampson, her nieces Heather Weirich and Alex Weirich, and her brother Hans Weirich. A plethora of friends and neighbors will also miss her immensely.
A virtual Celebration of Life will be held on November 29, 2020 at 2:30 PM. Details are listed on the right hand side of this website. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Children's Hospital.