Gisele Gurrado

Gisele was the 9th offspring of a farming family and was brought up in sometimes tough circumstances but in a house full of love and laughter.  She sadly lost her own Mum at the age of 13 and was sent to convent school to complete her education.  She would have liked to become a home economics teacher but in those days, a woman was not encouraged to pursue a career so she moved to the city to live with her older sister and started working in a factory.  She met her future husband, Damiano and they got married and had their first son when Gisele was 21.  She gave up work to be a stay-at-home Mum and enjoyed that role very much.  2 1/2 years later their first daughter was born and 7 years later their second daughter completed the family.  Gisele loved looking after her little brood, cooking homemade meals and being a fairly strict parent, who also knew how to have fun.  She was always happiest when every seat around the dinner table was full and there was laughter in the house.  Gisele spoke 3 languages, belonged to the Women’s Insitute and liked learning new skills.  She enjoyed travelling, hiking, crosswords, crafting, reading and cooking.  When her youngest child was a little older, Gisele returned to work as an admin assistant and later as a library assistant. She had many friends and enjoyed the company of others and always had only good things to say about anyone.  She had found a second family in her husband’s Italian parents and siblings and loved her Mum-in-Law like her own Mum.  Throughout her life, she always kept in touch with her brothers and sisters and spent many happy moments with them.  Gisele was over the moon to become a Grand-mother at the age of 42 and loved each of her 7 grandchildren from the bottom of her heart, organising fun activities, picnics and outings whenever possible.  She was also blessed with 2 great-grandchildren.  Although Gisele was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at 59, she kept a positive outlook and fought the disease with courage and resilience for 17 years, never complaining about her fate and making the most of what life had to offer.