Funeral Mass for Julia Gisi, 92 of Sisseton, SD, will be held on Tuesday, July 27, 2010, at 10:30 AM at St. Peter's Catholic Church, Sisseton, SD, with the Rev. Fr. Dennis Deis, OMI Celebrant. Organist will be Colette Hull and song leaders will be Cindy Marohl and Sandi Jaspers. Pallbearers will be Tom Cahill, Jared Gisi, Josh Gisi, Mark Gisi, Nathan Gisi, Jason Hruby, and Jon Stagman. Honorary Pallbearers will be Julia's Rosary and Bible Study Group. Interment will be in the St. Peter's Catholic Cemetery, Sisseton, SD. There will be visitation on Monday, July 26, 2010, from 3:00 to 7:00 PM with a 7:00 PM Prayer Service at the Cahill Funeral Chapel, Sisseton, SD. There will be a rosary on Tuesday, July 27, 2010, at 9:00 AM at St Peter's Catholic Church followed by visitation until time of the Funeral Mass. Julia Leboldus was born on November 1, 1917, in Selz, ND, to Marion (Keller) and Andrew Leboldus. At the time of her birth her last name was spelled "Leopoldus", later changed during World War I due to the concern that it sounded too "Germanic" in origin. The family then hoped that "Leboldus" sounded more like a French surname. Her father, Andrew, died in 1918 leaving two children by his first marriage and seven children by his second marriage to Julia's mother. Marion married Constance Fuhrmann in 1923, which had a family of four children. In this manner Julia became a part of a large, combined family with twelve siblings. At the time of this marriage in 1923 Marion and Constance Fuhrmann moved everyone to his family farm north of Onaka, SD. Julia attended an Edmunds County country school, where she met a young man by the name of Sebastian Gisi. They both graduated together from the eighth grade on January 15, 1932. Julia was a good student in school with many high marks on her report card.
Following her graduation Julia worked at home on the Fuhrman family farm. It was during this time that she learned to play the ukulele, a purchase she made unknown to her parents. When they discovered her talent, she then had to play and sing for visitors coming to their farm. She married Sebastian Gisi on the 30th of August, 1937, and they made their home on a farm NW of Onaka, where they farmed for five years. In 1947 they moved to Sisseton, SD, where they owned and operated a local gas station. Julia later worked for Landsberger Creamery & Produce as well as the Tekakwitha Living Center. Julia was a very active member of the St. Peter's Catholic Church in Sisseton, participating in the Altar Society, the Lady Forester's group and a Rosary and Bible Study Group. Julia was a fearless cook and baker who "took chances" with food and often noted on her recipes that one should "play with it a bit" to get it right- and she always got it right. Many of her recipes also contained the phrase "easy to make", when they were anything but easy to make. She was also a noted gardener in Sisseton with gorgeous flower bed and overflowing-with-produce gardens. Her flower gardens were "The Garden of the Week" every week for many years. Julia passed away on July 22, 2010, at Avera Hospital, Milbank, SD. She was a wonderful woman who lived a long and gracious life.
Julia will be deeply missed by her children; Cleo & her husband, Rich Plante of Sherwood, OR; Bernard & his wife, Judy Gisi of Yuma, AZ; Valeria & husband, Mike Hruby of Sandstone, MN; Loretta Gisi, Beaverton, OR; Paulette & her husband, Arlo Levisen of Big Stone Lake, SD; Andrew & his wife, Marilyn Gisi of Topeka, KS; Joyce & her husband, Rick Knutson of Tigard OR; David & his wife, Lori Gisi of Hanover, PA and Mary Ann & her husband, Dick Stagman of Waseca, MN. This group of children produced twenty-three grandchildren, all dearly loved by Julia. In turn, there are now twenty-eight great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Julia kept close tabs on each and every child and they all know she loved them.
Julia was preceded in death by her husband of 71 years, Sebastian, as well as her parents, all of her siblings, one granddaughter and one infant great-granddaughter.