Veronica Helena Gisi

Little Rock, IA Veronica Helena Fannie (Zimmerman) Gisi, age 90 formerly of Ipswich and Aberdeen, SD, of Little Rock, IA, died Friday, May 14, 2010 at the Rock Rapids Health Centre in Rock Rapids, IA. Funeral service will be 11:00 AM Friday, May 21, 2010 at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Sibley, with Father John Vakulskas officiating. Burial will take place at 11:00 AM on Saturday, May 22nd at the Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery Mausoleum in Aberdeen, SD. Visitation will be from 9:30 AM until time of service at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Sibley, IA. Veronica also known as Fannie was born on May 28, 1919 in Hillsview, South Dakota, the daughter of Charles Karl and Marie Helena (Gabriel) Zimmerman. She called herself Lucky 7 because she was the 7th of 13 children. She was raised on a farm near Hillsview and attended school there. Veronica married Peter Gisi of Hosmer, South Dakota on May 2, 1938 in Hillsview. They lived on various farms in the Ipswich area and then bought a farm southeast of Ipswich in 1947. They had no electricity, running water, telephone or indoor plumbing. Electricity was put in later. They had the Little White House out back and carried all their water in and out until 1994. Veronica never grumbled about not having modern conveniences. That is just the way it was. She could be heard many times singing to the music Peter played on his organ. Veronica made the most delicious pickles from her garden and preserved many jars of jellies, fruits and vegetables. They raised and cleaned hundreds of chickens and sold many sacks of potatoes. Afters Peters death in 1994, she sold the farm to Lenny Gauer whom they called their fifth child because he checked on them often after their four children moved away. She moved to Aberdeen where she had her first indoor plumbing. She enjoyed playing cards. In 2005, she moved to Little Rock, Iowa to live with her daughter. Veronica was a member of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Ipswich and attended Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Aberdeen. She was also a member of the Eagles Lodge in Aberdeen. Veronica is survived by four children, one daughter, Theresa (Joseph) Malsam of Little Rock, IA; three sons, George (Marjorie) Gisi and Robert (Sharon) Gisi both of Topeka, Kansas and Leroy Gisi of Cogswell, North Dakota; twenty-three grandchildren, thirty-three great grandchildren and ten great-great grandchildren; one younger sister, Anna (Zimmerman) Janisch of San Mateo, California; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, one grandson, two great granddaughters and eleven brothers and sisters.