Elisabeth W. Reichel

Elisabeth Wilhelmine Reichel, 100, of 255 W. Tompkins St., Galesburg, died at 8:40 a.m. on Monday, June 12, 2006 at home.   She was born October 11, 1905 in Daberg, Germany, the daughter of Anton and Franziska Bayer Stingl.  She married Josef Franz Reichel on May 29, 1937 in Munich, Germany.  He died January 8, 1967.   Surviving are three daughters, Gertrude (and William) Hoover, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Johanna Haggerty, Manassas, Virginia,  Anneliese (and Klaus) Schaefert , Weiterstadt, Germany and one son, Martin (and Jane) Reichel , Galesburg, Illinois, as well as twelve grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and one half-brother, Paul Stingl.  She was preceded in death by her husband and one son, Gottfried, as well as four brothers, one sister and two half-brothers.   In February, 1945 she was forced to flee her home in Leobschuetz, Silesia, along with two children, to escape the advancing Russian Army, finding shelter with relatives in Bavaria.   In 1952, under the auspices of the National Catholic Welfare Conference,  she emigrated to America with her husband and four children, settling in Galesburg, Illinois after a brief stay in New Britain, Connecticut.   She worked as a cook for the Sisters of Providence at St. Joseph's Academy, then many years as a house cleaner for a number of Galesburg families.  She was a faithful member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church since 1956.  She enjoyed cooking, knitting and stitching, and visiting her grandchildren.   Mass of Christian burial will be on Saturday June 17, 2006 at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church with the Reverend William Miller officiating.  Visitation be from 9-9:45 a.m. at Watson Funeral Home, Galesburg.  Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Galesburg.  Memorials may be made to St. Patrick's Church or the Galesburg Public Library.