Nyla J Isele

Nyla J. Isele passed away on December 27,2024 at the Westchester Medical Center after a long struggle with the effects of Alzheimer’s. She was born on June 28, 1942, to Janette Walker (nee Shaefer) and Ross Walker on a farm north of Casey, Iowa. She graduated with a degree in Nursing from the University of Iowa and started working in Healthcare Facilities in the area before looking for opportunities and adventures abroad. Her first offer from the American Hospital in Beirut/Lebanon was rescinded due to civil unrest that forced the closing of the outlying clinics. Reaching further afar she accepted the position of Ward Supervisor at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney/Australia. It was there that she met Gerhard, her future husband, at a dance at the German Concordia Club. However, she continued her westward global journey with Gerhard’s promise to meet her in Frankfurt/Germany once he completes his eastward global trek a few months later.

They met again, got married and settled in Frankfurt for 4 years. After initially working as a night nurse at the 97th US Army General Hospital she accepted a position of School Health Nurse at the Frankfurt American Elemenary School #1. Their twin daughters were born 1973 in Des Moines, Iowa and the family settled in New York, first in Pelham then for the last 50+ years in Croton on Hudson. Due to Gerhard’s temporary assignment to Citibank London the whole family spent one-year 1979/80 living at Hampstead Heath, having the opportunity to explore southern England and Ireland.

Upon the family’s return to Croton Nyla’s energy was devoted to the restoration of our ‘new’ old house on Mount Airy. Her interest in books and music led her to the Board of the Croton Library and the subscription management at Friends of Music Concerts Inc. She also enjoyed the performances at the Metropolitan Opera as a subscriber for many years. For decades she participated in her Book – and Garden groups. Many Summers were spent with the whole family on the parental farm while she also continued to travel Europe and the Americas. Sailing and Skiing were some of her favorite pastimes. She resumed work as a school nurse substituting at various School District in Northers Westchester while working on and receiving a master’s degree in Community Health from LIU.

She is survived by her husband Gerhard of 55 years, her daughters Laura and Janette, her brother Lynn of Kansas City, her brothers-in-law Jim Wahl of Mt. Vernon, IA, Wolfgang Isele of Germany, and many cousins, nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her younger sister Joanne Wahl.

A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.