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Gisela Parmelee

Gisela (Kranichfeld) Parmelee, 99, resident of Guilford, passed away at home surrounded by loved ones on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. Gisela was the wife of the late G. Kendall “Ken” Parmelee of Guilford. She was born in Manhattan, New York, on Feb. 14, 1925. Gisela was the daughter of the late Mr. Henry Charles Kranichfeld and Mrs. Gisela (von Unruh) Kranichfeld. She was the loving mother of five daughters: Kathy Parmelee Fairbanks of Guilford, Beth L. Parmelee of Guilford, Lauren Parmelee Murphy (William) of Guilford, Nancy Parmelee Morton (Michael) of Charlottesville, Virginia, and Janice Parmelee Wingo (Trey) of Mystic. Gisela is also survived by 12 grandchildren; and 15 (soon to be 16) great-grandchildren. She was the sister of and predeceased by her brothers, Henry C. Kranichfeld Jr. and William H. Kranichfeld.

Gisela and Ken met in 1938 when her family summered in Guilford for the first time. Ken’s family had deep roots in the community. Her first memories of Ken involved piling in the back of a car with her two older brothers and “the gang” from the neighborhood and heading off to play softball on the town green. Their love developed over multiple summers of swimming, sailing, and stargazing in and around Mulberry Point and Indian Cove. Gisela’s parents bought a small cottage in Indian Cove in 1940. Her mother, Gisela Kranichfeld, lived in that home until she passed away at the age of 99 in 1995. Gisela Parmelee subsequently moved in and lived in that home until she passed away at the age of 99. They left a legacy of strong determination and grit, demonstrating to the family how to persevere in the toughest of circumstances.

Gisela and Ken were more than 30-year members of the Presbyterian Church in Old Greenwich. In her journal, Gisela listed with joy all of the brothers and sisters in Christ from that church whom she was looking forward to being reunited with in heaven.

Gisela is a 1943 graduate of The Barnard School in New York City. She went on to study painting and illustration and graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1947. After World War II, Gisela and Ken were married and started a family. Living first in New York City, then Hawthorne, New York, then Riverside, Connecticut, and finally moving up to Guilford to a home that Ken’s brother, Sherwood Parmelee, built for them.

Gisela had her hands full with a family of five girls. She always kept her creative mind stimulated with art projects, ceramics classes, furniture upholstery, crafts for the church fair, and gardening, but sewing became her creative focus. After finishing a long day of feeding, cleaning, chauffeuring, tutoring, encouraging, loving, and supporting her family, as the rest of the family prepared for bed, she was often seen at the sewing machine, putting the finishing touches on an outfit one of the girls would soon be wearing. Many a Christmas morning, the girls would open boxes with five matching hand-sewn items. The obligatory family photo would then be taken with the sisters posing like the Andrews Sisters (famous for singing “The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”), with one arm extended. Gisela adored fabric stores. The colors, the textures, the possibilities always got her creative juices flowing. Gisela also loved music and singing. She participated in many church choirs and had a lovely voice. She had a great memory for lyrics, and in her later years, music would pop into her head, and she would joyfully burst into songs from her youth.

She will be buried at a private service at Alderbrook Cemetery alongside her beloved husband. A celebration of life is planned for a later date, and friends will be invited to join the family in remembering her.

Gisela’s father set up a garden beautification fund for Indian Cove. As you drive into the neighborhood, it provides a cheerful greeting to all who pass by. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Indian Cove Rock Garden Fund to help this tradition continue for another generation. Checks can be written to the Indian Cove Association with Rock Garden Fund in the memo line. The address is Indian Cove Association, P.O. Box 16, Guilford, CT 06437.

Arrangements are in care of the Guilford Funeral Home, 115 Church St, Guilford. To share a memory or leave condolences, visit www.guilfordfuneralhome.com.