Obituary of Kathleen Joyce Stiegler

Stiegler, Kathleen Joyce Weiler Age 93, of Richfield, MN, died November 28, 2018. Preceded in death by parents Edward J. and Winnifred Weiler, brothers Ed and Eugene Weiler and sisters Virginia Christianson, Joann Willis and Rita Webber; and her beloved daughter Rebecca (Hoeschen). Born in Lisbon, ND, she moved to Minneapolis as a young woman to get her nursing degree. Her Catholic upbringing did not prevent her from falling in love with a nice Jewish boy, Farrell, from Minneapolis. In 1949, she travelled to Germany to marry him as he was serving in the U.S. Army Medical Corps. They were married 69 years, enjoying many world travels together. She was a devoted, loving mother, always involved with her children's activities. She was an amazing cook, an award-winning gardener, and adept watercolor painter. She enjoyed classical music and opera and was a fine pianist. She also loved her cats! With her children grown, she returned to the University of Minnesota and was proud to receive her degree in Women's Studies and Criminal Justice in 1984. A fervent feminist, she joined national marches in Chicago and Washington, D.C. for the Equal Rights Amendment. She was an active volunteer in many groups including the League of Women Voters. She also served on the Minnesota Lawyers' Board of Professional Responsibility and did volunteer work at the Minnesota Women's Correctional Facility in Shakopee, MN. Her interest in writing resulted in the publication of her memoir in 2010. She was proud of her grand- and great grandchildren with whom she loved to share her advice and opinions. Survived by husband Farrell (whom she called Spike), sons Jonathan Stiegler and Michael (Sonja Savre) Stiegler; and son-in-law David Hoeschen; grandchildren Kristina (Tim Stewart) Hoeschen, Jeni (Ethan) Stiegler-Gray, Emily (Tim Goetze) Stiegler, Keir (Betsy) Stiegler, Cole Stiegler; great-grandchildren Andrew Stiegler and Max Goetze, as well as her beloved nieces and nephews. The family is grateful to wonderful friends and caring staffs at City Bella, The Pines and Village Shores. Memorial service in January, to be determined. Contact stieg003@gmail for details.

An excerpt from a review of her memoir "A North Dakota Girl Remembers" that appeared in the Ransom County Gazette, 2011:

Her autobiography was published in July, 2010 by Beavers Pond Press, Edina, MN begins with her birth in Lisbon and through a series of memories which ultimately lead to her marriage to Minneapolis Surgeon Farrell Stiegler, who was serving overseas in the Army at the time, and their honeymoon in the Bavarian Alps.

Kathleen's early memories include such things as an early bout with the measles, visiting the Lisbon Public Library with her older sister, and helping her father weed his garden.

She shares many memories of her elementary years at St. Aloysius Catholic School.  The school, which now serves as an apartment building, was located less than two blocks from her Forest Street home.

Memories of summer vacations included time spent at Sandager Park and the Sheyenne River beach near Rosemary Island.  She recalls the excitement of the addition of a radio to their home, which allowed the family to listen to President Roosevelt's "fireside chats" as well as many popular programs.

Following her graduation from the eighth grade, Kathleen went on to Lisbon High School. She tells of first attending a large, redbrick school built in 1912, where she joined Glee Club and enjoyed playing basketball. She later joined the staff of the school newspaper the Bronco Roundup, as well as working on the annual staff.

She recalls hearing the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor, which occurred during her junior year in high school.  She remembers hearing the first reports of the event while watching some friends bowl at the local bowling alley. Kathleen recalls that many of the senior boys began enlisting in the service shortly thereafter.

Kathleen shared her memories of working with her mother at the Lisbon Hotel. Her mother would split her wages, $1 for a mornings work, evenly with her daughter. Kathleen also worked at the Fairway and IGA grocery stores for 25 cents an hour during her high school years. In addition keeping up with her jobs, she managed to do well in her school courses, graduating in third place in her class of 53 students. Their graduation exercises were held on June 4, 1943.

During the summer following her graduation, Kathleen worked at Moll’s grocery store.  That fall she moved to the Twin Cities where she started classes at the College of St. Catherine’s in St. Paul

Shortly after beginning her studies, she learned about the formation of the Cadet Nurse Corps, under the U.S. Public Health Service.  It was hoped that, with the increasing need for nurses in the military, the new organization would help fill the medical needs of the civilian population.  Under the program, student nurses were offered tuition plus monthly stipends, depending upon their level of training.  With little money to spend on her schooling, Kathleen jumped at the chance to join the Corps. She recalls receiving a very welcome $45 check for three months of work while receiving training at St. Mary's Hospital.

Many of Kathleen memories of the World War II years are sad ones. She recalls losing two cousins and a good friend during the war. But finally the war came to a close. She recalls being ill and unable to celebrate V.E. day, which marked the end of the war with Germany. But she remembers dancing in the street in downtown Minneapolis along with the crowd celebrating the news of Japan's surrender on Aug. 14. 1945

Kathleen spent a three month affiliation  working on a psychiatric unit at Fergus Falls State Hospital, an assignment which she described as being both "illuminating and sobering."

After completing her three months at that facility, she returned to St. Mary's for her last student assignment on the obstetrical floor. This became a favorite part of her nurses' training. Since the post-war baby boom was just beginning. Kathleen had many opportunities to help with deliveries. She loved working with the new mothers and their babies so much that she stayed on for two years after graduating.  She wrote and passed her board exams. Kathleen recalls that, in 1946. her salary as a new registered nurse (R.N.) was $150 a month.

In the spring of 1948 Kathleen began dating a young physician named Dr. Farrell S. Stiegler. Dr. Stiegler had recently finished his internship and was working in general practice in north Minneapolis. He had applied for a surgical residency at the University of Minnesota.  Before he heard whether he had the job, he received word that the U.S. Army had issued a draft call of doctors who had benefited from the Army's Specialized Training Program while attending medical school during the war.

Instead of waiting to be drafted, Dr. Stiegler volunteered. Given a choice of where to serve, he chose Germany. He left for overseas duty to February of 1949.   Soon after his arrival in Germany, he began writing to Kathleen every day. He also called by trans-Atlantic telephone nearly every day, begging Kathleen to join him in Germany, where they would get married, experience another culture together, and take advantage of the opportunity to travel throughout Europe. He promised her a three-year honeymoon.

His calls and letters became more persuasive and. after much consideration, on March 28, 1949. Kathleen said “Yes." They set their wedding dale for May 9th and Kathleen returned to Lisbon to finalize plans for her departure.

After a couple of bridal showers, some shopping and packing, and good-byes to her family, Kathleen departed for Germany. She was met at the airport in Frankfurt on Sunday. May 8, 1949 by Dr. Stiegler. who drove her to their new home in Dambach. Germany. They were married the following day and began their marriage with a wonderful honeymoon in the Bavarian Alps.

Although this is where Kathleen chose to end her memoirs, it is by no means, the end of her life story.  After their return to the Twin Cities area, Kathleen lived the busy life of a doctor's wife and stay-at-home mom.

After their children were grown and on their own, Kathleen, still eager to learn, began taking various courses at the University of Minnesota. She began with a history course in honor of the nation's bicentennial.  As she garnered more university credits, she began to realize that she could use those credits toward a degree. She graduated from the U of M in June, 1984, at 58 years of age with a bachelor’s degree in women's studies and criminal justice studies. She explains that her course work "gave her an acute insight into the problems women face."

Kathleen explains that she had always loved writing, but did not seriously pursue that interest until she took a journal class in 1985. After completing that class, she helped develop a "Journal '85" group that [met] regularly on a monthly basis.  It was because of that class and the continuing writing group that she eventually worked up the courage to write her book of memoirs.

Kathleen explains that it look her around two years to prepare her manuscript for publication.  She had so many memories and so much material that it took a long time to narrow down what to use. She had a good editor to help her with that process.

The book finally came out in print on July 23, 2010. She had only 100 copies printed.  Since the book includes many memories of growing up in Lisbon and many pictures of family, friends, and places in the Lisbon area, Kathleen sent a copy of her book to the Lisbon Public Library.  The book is available there should anyone wish to read it.

Kathleen states that she and her husband come back to Lisbon every spring or summer to visit family graves at the Catholic Cemetery north of Lisbon and to visit friends in the area. She comments that she still has fond memories of her home town and [kept] up with the changes it has undergone since she moved away.