Gerda Chappell, 100, of Dubuque, joined her heavenly family on Thursday, August 3, 2023, at home.

Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11:00 A.M. on Friday, September 1, at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1276 White St., Dubuque, where there will be a funeral service held at 11:00A.M. Pastor Jay Ilten will officiate. Interment will be in Linwood Cemetery. Arrangements are entrusted to Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home, 2659 JFK Rd., Dubuque.

Gerda was born January 28, 1923, in Braunsbach, Germany, the daughter of Frederick William and Julia (Kintzinger) Hanselmann. She immigrated to the U.S. with her mother and siblings, arriving on Ellis Island on January 28, 1925. The family was joined by her father who had immigrated in November 1923, having been sponsored by Wartburg Seminary, Dubuque.

Gerda married Eugene H. Chappell on May 7, 1950 at St. John’s Lutheran Church. The couple met during a combined choir between St. Mark and St. John’s, and were married for 68 years. Gene preceded her in death on January 20, 2019.

Music was one of Gerda’s favorite hobbies.  She enjoyed giving piano lessons for 35 plus years. She kept in touch with many of her students up to her death.  She directed the Holy Trinity Lutheran Jr. choir for 12 years, sang in the St. John’s Lutheran and Holy Trinity Choirs, accompanied St. Johns’s senior choir 12 years, and taught Sunday School from age 20. She enjoyed water color and German classes, at the Roberta Kuhn Center, and started painting with watercolor and pen and ink when she was in her early 80’s.  Love of music and art were passed along to her children and grandchildren.  Her paintings were in great demand with family and friends. She was an avid knitter and excelled in sewing and embroidery. She loved reading and writing letters to long distance relatives and others that she met from Germany, Yugoslavia and England.  Gerda was also known for her beautifully decorated cakes that she took to many family events.  She and her husband Gene were fortunate to take a trip to England after retirement.  Gerda loved telling stories of her and her family’s past. She enjoyed genealogy and remembering those who had passed before her.  Gerda and Gene spent many hours gardening, bird watching and observing the wildflowers that bloomed at the family cottage near St. Donatus.

During her lifetime she worked, before marriage, for Roshek Brothers, as a cashier, Dunn and Brad Street, as a typist, Federal Discount Corporation, as a typist and dictation, and the Federal Clerk’s office as a deputy clerk, often working in the same courtroom where she had been naturalized as a teen.

Gerda is survived by three children, Miriam J. Hoffman, of Dubuque, Joan K. (David) Soltwisch, of Minooka, IL, and Timothy G. (Darla) Chappell, of St. Donatus; her grandchildren, Ben and Adam (Jessica) Hoffman, Rochelle (Mark) Quiner, Juliene (fiancé John LoDolce) Soltwisch, and Kurtis (Rachael) Chappell; her great grandchildren, Madlin, Colin, Nathan, Audrey, Kolton, Cora, Liam, Annette, Juliet, and Gene David, also great great granddaughter Mila; her brother, Roger Hanselmann, of Dubuque; her sister in law, Ann Hanselmann; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Frieda Rudolph, Irma Cartigney, Julia Morgan, Elsbeth Williams, and Gertrude Klinge; her brothers Herbert Hanselmann, and Ralph Hanselmann and a grandson Rigel David Soltwisch.

A special thank you to all who helped Gerda stay at home, especially caregivers, Sandra Sebek, Lydia Smith, and Hospice of Dubuque, and to Gerda’s longtime Stephen Minister, Carol Bauman for her time and friendship.

Memorials can be sent to Hospice of Dubuque and the Dubuque Arboretum.