Gesling, Ella Rosella

Ella Rosella Gesling, 96, of Mechanicsville, passed away Friday, April 6, 2012, at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids after a long and full life. The family will greet friends on Tuesday, April 10, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Morgan Funeral Home in Mount Vernon. Services will be Wednesday, April 11, at 10:30 a.m., with a visitation before the service at 10 a.m., at First Presbyterian Church, Mechanicsville, conducted by the Rev. William Harnish. Burial will follow at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Mechanicsville. Following the service and burial, the family invites everyone to The Memorial Building for fellowship and lunch.

Ella Rosella Martinson was born Feb. 23, 1916, in the family home in Rothsay, Minn., to Jens and Mathilda (Engleson) Martinson. She was the second youngest of 12 children. Ella was preceded in death by her 11 siblings, 10 of whom lived into their 90s. She married H. J. “Heck” Gesling at the Little Brown Church in Nashua on July 22, 1944. During their marriage, they lived in Ainsworth and Scotch Grove before settling in Mechanicsville in 1959.

Ella was a very active homemaker, taking care of her five children as well as numerous other children in the community, many of whom have kept in contact with her throughout the years. She was an avid gardener, which brought her great pleasure; her green thumb was a true blessing that saved many flowers and plants. Ella was also a gifted seamstress working into her 90s, creating quilts and altering clothes. Many days she could be found sitting in her front porch swing watching the children play at the school playground, waving to people driving by and watching the birds and squirrels. Ella never slowed down, staying active with cooking, baking and cleaning until her final days.

Her “church family” was a very important aspect of her life. She was involved with the Presbyterian Women's Club and The Legion Auxiliary.

Ella was preceded in death by her husband in November 2003, as well as her 11 brothers and sister.

She is survived by her five children, Mike (Linda), John (Carol), Chuck (Candi), all of Mechanicsville, Kay (Jim) Butler of Lancaster, Pa., and Denise (Brian) Seiler of Kingsport, Tenn.; 13 grandchildren, Sherri, Kim, Elizabeth, Christina, Andrew, Jason, David, Courtney, Jessica, Tyler, Deanna, Brenda and Michelle; and 12 great-grandchildren, Ryan, Rhylee, Brooke, Audrey, Makenzie, Zackary, Aiden, Kelsey, Sarah, Anthony, Jeremy and William. This large family was the greatest joy of Ella's life.

In lieu of green plants and flowers, the family has requested memorials to the Mechanicsville Ambulance Volunteers or First Presbyterian Church in Mechanicsville.

Published April 8, 2012 in The Gazette