Gisela Kutzbach

Gisela was born December 3, 1941, in Berlin, Germany, daughter of Gertrud (Karkoska) and Christian Hanebuth. In 1964, she sailed to the United States to study as a Fulbright scholar in Madison at the University of Wisconsin. It was there, after class, that she met the love of her life, the late John Kutzbach of Reedsburg, WI. Their first outing was a walk along the lakeshore to Picnic Point. They married in Berlin in 1965.

This big-city woman and small-town man found each other as soulmates sharing passions for science, travel, nature, hiking, art, conversation, and celebrations. They shared countless lakeshore walks, starting from their beloved home of over 50 years in Shorewood Hills. John and Gisela joined Bethel Lutheran Church where Gisela served as Treasurer, sang in choir, and made dear friends in women’s groups. She meticulously planned family trips to all corners of America and the world. One of her great projects was publishing their joint family history.

Gisela grew up in West Berlin’s Neukolln borough. She attended the Albert Schweitzer Gymnasium, igniting her passion for learning and art, and her lifelong wanderlust.

Gisela tracked weather at the Meteorological Institute in Dahlem and studied at the Free University. At the University of Wisconsin, she earned a master’s degree in meteorology, a PhD in history of science, and wrote a book: The Thermal Theory of Cyclones.

As UW faculty in the College of Engineering for twenty years, Gisela became Director of the Technical Communication Program where she taught engineers effective writing skills.

After retiring, Gisela embraced nature conservation. She served as President of Friends of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. Favorite projects included developing the website, giving a home to migrating purple martins, and saving a rare heritage oak.

Gisela’s fascination with science enriched her love of nature and melded with her faith. Gisela introduced John to hiking, and made a family tradition of summer stays in Boulder, Colorado, with hikes to the Indian Peaks. Gisela embraced gardening and native plants, cultivating a prairie in the front yard. Through Bethel, she joined many hiking trips and shared her love of nature and science through the Caring for Creation ministry.

Gisela built her life around family and friends, immersing them in her passions and binding the family together with songs, holidays, crafts, games, and favorite walks. Omi cherished her grandchildren, sharing with them her zest for life and always filling them with her delicious cooking.

She is survived by her three children, Angela (Andy) Currie of Lewiston, NY, Katrina (the late Dana) Martin of Evanston, IL, and Mark (Arezou Koohi) Kutzbach of Arlington, VA; her grandchildren Sophia and Justin Currie, Aaron, Rob and Julia Martin, and Sebastian Kutzbach; she was preceded in death by her sister Angela (the late Ulrich) Schwencker and her brother Ludwig Hanebuth, and survived by her sisters-in-law Dorothea (the late Warren) Ford and Carole (Bill) Riberich, as well as many dear nieces, nephews, life-long friends, and recent kindred spirits at Westminster Place in Evanston, Illinois.

Memorial donations may be made in Gisela’s name to the Friends of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve (www.FriendsLakeshorePreserve.com).

Gisela’s funeral service was held in Elliott Chapel at Westminster Place on March 25, 2023.

Online condolences may be shared at www.WmScottFuneralHome.com.