Gisela M. McNally

Gisela McNally, age 76, of Altoona, Wisconsin, passed away after a long battle with cancer on October 30, 2023.  She was born in 1947 in Cologne, Germany.  Gisela married Richard McNally in 1968, in Germany and they shared 55 happy years together. Her husband was a career Air Force officer and they moved back to the States in 1971. Gisela became an American citizen in 1976. The Air Force moved the family every three years.

After high school, she studied Business and Administration in Cologne, Germany and attended Berlitz School of Language to study French. Later, she studied Psychology in Alaska. Then she took classes in Early Childhood Education in Illinois where she taught preschool age children as she loved this age group.

In Rome, New York, Gisela was the Chairman of the Red Cross Volunteers where she recruited and trained new volunteers at the military hospital.

Gisela enjoyed being a mom and grandma and loved to spend time with her children and grandchildren. She also was an avid gardener and loved being outdoors. Her favorite hobbies were traveling with her husband in their motorhome  and taking lots of photos of all the sites they visited.  She took pride in having visited all 50 states and also made several flights to Europe where she was able to visit with her many cousins and their families in Germany.

She is survived by her husband, Richard; three children, Michelle (David) Olson, Nicole (Todd) Curtright, and Paul (Kimberly) McNally; five grandchildren, Colin, Andrew, James, William, and Vivienne.

The family wishes to thank the staff members at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, The Classic at Hillcrest Greens, and St. Croix Hospice for their dedication and caring.

A visitation will be held at the Hulke Funeral Home on Monday, November 6, 2023 from 5 - 7 p.m.  A celebration of life will be held at the Classic at Hillcrest Greens on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 at 10 a.m. There will be no visitation prior to the service on Tuesday.  Pastor James Whatley of The Haven Church officiating. Private family inurnment will take place at a later time.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to The Haven Church Building Fund, 2725 Mall Drive Suite 2, Eau Claire, WI 54701.

Friends and family may offer condolences online at www.hulkefamilyfh.com.

Hulke Family Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 3209 Rudolph Road, Eau Claire, WI 54701 is assisting the family with the arrangements. 

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.