Gisela Hodnefield, 81, passed away peacefully on July 18, 2025.

Private family services were held.

Gisela was born in Germany on April 23, 1944. After a short stay in Oklahoma, she arrived in Fairview, MT, with her father, Ewald, mother, Charlotte, and five siblings, Walter, Gerhart, Ulrich, Evelyne and Waltraut. In 1957, the family became U.S. Citizens.

Gisela spent her formative years in Fairview, Montana, where she attended both elementary and secondary school. Driven by a desire to make a difference in the lives of young learners, she pursued a degree in education from the University of North Dakota. Her career began in Stephen, MN, teaching German and English, before she accepted a position teaching in Dickinson, ND, for 30 plus years.

In 1966, Gisela married Jon Hodnefield in the Wheelock Lutheran Church in Wheelock, North Dakota. Together, they shared a life rich in love and community. In 2023, the couple moved into Touchmark in Bismarck, North Dakota, and became members of the Lutheran Church of the Cross.

Beyond her remarkable career, Gisela was also dedicated to her community. She was a member of St. John Lutheran Church and various civic organizations throughout her time in Dickinson, reflecting her commitment to service and fellowship.

To view the service recording, please visit www.churchofthecross.org.

Memorials may be given to the Dickinson Backpack Program, care of St. John's Lutheran Church, 146 6th Ave W, Dickinson, ND, 58601.