 |
| Antonia A. Gavriloaia |
| January 24, 1918 - April 18, 2010 |
Victor, Iowa
|
Antonia “Toni” Gavriloaia, age 92, of Victor, passed on into eternal rest on April 18, 2010 at her home in Victor with her at her family at her bedside.
In accordance with her wishes, her body was cremated and her remains will be retained by her family until the passing of her husband, Vasile, when their remains will be interred together at that time at Victor Memorial Cemetery.
Memorials may be directed to Essence of Life Hospice, 3207 – 220th Street, Amana, Iowa 52203. Smith Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Grinnell and Victor is assisting the Gavriloaia family. Cards of sympathy may be mailed to the family in care of the Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 485, Victor, Iowa 52347.
|
Antonia Augusta Schiemann Gavriloaia, of German decent, was born the daughter of Ferdinand Schiemann and Auguste Binert Schiemann on January 24, 1918 in Rypin, Poland. She was raised and educated in Rypin, Poland. Her mother died when she was two years old and she was raised by her father. During World War II, her family was forced to leave Poland in February of 1945 and they moved to Germany. Her father was ill and died on their journey to Germany on a horse and wagon and he was buried in a potato field. While working as a housekeeper at Hof Rutenmühle estate in (Brockdorf), Germany, she met her future husband, Vasile Gavriloaia, who was also employed there.
She was united in marriage to Vasile Gavriloaia on May 22, 1946 in Neuenkirchen, Germany. Their son, Bruno, was born on January 26, 1947, in Celle, Germany. Due to the fact that Vasile was a Romanian POW refugee, the family was then forced to leave Germany in 1951. The United Church of God sponsored their immigration to the United States as displaced persons. Upon their arrival to Ellis Island, their family was then transitioned to Victor, Iowa. Vasile then worked on Minnie and William McDonald, Jr.’s farm and Toni assisted on the farm occasionally as well as housekeeping for area residents. Vasile continued to work on the McDonald farm until his retirement. Their daughter Elizabeth was born on October 14, 1953 at Grinnell General Hospital in Grinnell, Iowa. After a six year waiting period, Antonia, Vasile and Bruno became Naturalized Citizens of the United States of America on April 8, 1958. Toni began working at Amana Refrigeration in 1958 and then continued until her retirement in 1983, after 24 years of employment. Toni, yearning to have a brick home such as in Poland, had one constructed in the latter 1960’s. This brought her great comfort and joy.
|
Toni was a former member of the St. James Lutheran Church in Victor. Her enjoyments included gardening, canning, landscaping, knitting, crocheting, and tatting. Toni was a brave and strong person who took responsibility for herself and her family. She worked very hard to provide a comfortable home and environment for her family to enjoy. She was an honorable, forthright and fair person. Mirth could be had by her amusing wit. Her love for animals provided her joy and solace. Toni’s unselfish and loving ways will be missed. We will cherish her forever through the loving memories.
|
Toni is survived by her husband of 64 years, Vasile Gavriloaia of Victor, Iowa; her son, Bruno (Anna Marie) Gavriloaia of Kansas City, Missouri; and her daughter, Elizabeth Gavriloaia of Victor. She was preceded in by her parents; and her siblings, Otto Schiemann, Frieda Schiemann, and Hilda Schiemann; and her nephew, Edmund Peters, who was her only living relative in the United States, who died at the age of 34 in 1971.
|
|
If you would like to share your thoughts and memories,
we will deliver your message to the family.
Click
here.
|
|
