Barbara Giese died on September 25, 2026, after a long sickness with NPH caused by brain damage after a fall in 2019. Barbara was born on June 19, 1938 (Father's Day) to Sally and Arnold Nelis in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
She graduated from East High School where she played french horn in Marching Band and Symphony Orchestra. She met her future husband at this time. Barbara graduated from Wisconsin State Teacher's College in Osh Kosh, Wisconsin with a Rural Teaching Certificate. She taught 2nd grade on the Menominee Reservation in Neopit, Wisconsin for a year. On August 29, 1959, she married USAF 2nd Lt. Karl Giese in Green Bay. They moved to the Air Force base in Biloxi, MS to further Karl's training. Barbara found a job teaching at a preschool. In September 1960 she moved with their son Jim to join Karl in Kalispell, MT. A second son, David, was born during their time in Montana. Ready to start her life as an "officer's wife" she lived by the motto "Bloom where you are planted" during the Air Force years. She participated in Protestant, Squadron & Wings wives clubs.
While in Germany she volunteered as Boy Scout secretary and participated in the International Women's Club. Barbara traveled all over Europe, the Middle East and Egypt during their years in Germany. Back in America a young lady from Bolivia joined the family for nine months while she attended her senior year of high school. When Karl was teaching ROTC at the University of Iowa Barbara kept busy working first at an aquarium shop, then at a farm store in the finance department and finally for seven years at the University of Iowa Hospitals in the Ob/Gyn clinic. Her duties included scheduling/office coordinator for the Gyn Endo & Infertility clinic, performed simple lab procedures, placed orders for supplies, wrote directional info for patients going to other clinics/labs for special tests, updated patient handout information, reorganized and improved the patient-outside x-rays file, briefed new residents on office and scheduling procedures, expanded a filing clerk position to that of office coordinator. They moved to Denver when Karl started seminary. Barbara was employed by Denver University. She single handedly ran Validine ID operations for the University. She assumed full responsibility for assembling and issuing ID cards to the University community, updating and maintaining files on the Validine computer system, restructuring computer programs to facilitate the transition between academic quarters, establishing contacts with academic units and vendors and providing training and supplies to campus areas using the Validine system. In addition, she completed an extensive procedures manual for the operation of the Validine office. After seminary Barbara had to adjust to be an "Iowa Pastor's Wife" in several churches. She helped out when needed at services and when the Methodist secretary was not available. She attended all his two-week continuing education classes in Wyoming and Santa Fe, NM. They found they loved life in New Mexico. To meet more people, she began selling Mary Kay cosmetics. She also joined PEO, a sorority that raises money for women's college tuition. There was a group everywhere they moved even in Silver City, NM. Retirement wasn't all traveling around the country. For seven years Karl was chairman, and Barbara was secretary of the Salvation Army Committee in SW New Mexico. She also helped Habitat for Humanity build several houses and provided meals and volunteered on the Save Old Fort Bayard Committee. In August 2024 she moved to assisted living in Coralville, IA to be near family. She still could walk on her own. By September 2026 she had lost most of the use of the left side of her body. This led to difficulties eating.
Barbara is survived by her spouse, Karl; two sons, James (Julie) and David (Teresa); five grandchildren, Alison, Kurt, Michael, Adam, and Drake; three great grandchildren; brother, Cal (Jackie) and sisters-in-law, Karen and Irene. She was preceded in death by her parents, her siblings, Laurel and Gary, and her grandson, Kendall.
Visitation will be Thursday, October 8th from 12-12:30pm at Terrazas Funeral Chapels. The funeral mass will be celebrated at 12:30 with Pastor Karl Giese officiating. Concluding services the interment will follow at Fort Bayard National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the PEO Chapter in Silver City, NM. c/o of Terrazas Funeral Home.
A Celebration of Life service will be held in Green Bay, WI at a date to be determined. Online condolences at www.lensingfuneral.com
Arrangements are with Terrazas Funeral Chapels "Trusted care for the ones you love" ~ 575-537-0777. To send condolences, visit www.terrazasfuneralchapel.com.
