Gesa M. Grill

Gesa (pronounced Ga-sah) M. Grill passed away in her cherished Toledo home of 58 years on January 30, 2021, her son by her side. A graveside ceremony was privately held, per her wishes, on February 3, at Lake Township Cemetery in Walbridge, Ohio.

Gesa was born on May 8, 1932 in Blankenese, Germany, the second of five children, to Ella (Ellen) Elfriede (née Hasenbein) and Schiffszimmermann Cord Friedrich Willy (Willy) Neeb. Throughout her life, Gesa often recounted the horror of how the family sought refuge in the cellar of their home from the incessant bombings of WWII, when she was just 11 years old, experiences that never left her and would shape the person she became. Witnessing the bombings, fires, destruction, and carnage first-hand as a child, she vehemently opposed war and violence of any kind.

Gesa emigrated to England after high school, studied nursing, and married an American GI doing postwar cleanup named Osgood Richards. They had a daughter, Gloria, moved to the U.S., but later divorced. Gesa made her way to Toledo, Ohio, where her sister, Ellen, resided with her family. She worked a variety of jobs to support herself and Gloria and, years later, met a man named Sebastian Grill, whom she would marry and have a son, Anthony, but would, also, divorce. Gesa, again finding herself on her own, and now with two children to raise, worked many jobs in order to support her family and make ends meet. A very strong woman, she was able to persevere through many difficult times in the years ahead, due in no small part to her upbringing and experiences that instilled in her strength, resourcefulness, resilience, and stubbornness necessary to rear two young children with very little money, albeit in a home always filled with abundant love. She became a Naturalized Citizen of the United States in 1964.

My mother was an extraordinary woman if enumerable qualities. She was strong and resilient. Never learning to drive, she relied on transit services for commuting, and often walked miles with groceries, other wares, and children in tow. She was selfless and put the needs of her children and others above her right up until the time of her death. She was clean and organized and earned the affectionate nickname of "Mrs. Clean" from many of my childhood friends. She was determined and stubborn, living life on her own terms and in her own way. She was sentimental, especially regarding birthdays of deceased relatives and friends, and she treasured anything given to her, especially by her children and parents, and found special, permanent placement for those items in her home. Above all else she was the consummate mother, her passion in life. She devoted her life to raising her children in a stable, loving home, and instilling in them positive values and character traits with which she was raised, such as kindness, honesty, understanding, and sympathy, all the while making sure her children's needs were met, frequently sacrificing her own needs. She was a wonderful cook and often made many traditional German dishes. Her life was lived simply and frugally, and she desired nothing flashy or fancy, instead believing that it was more important to live ones' life with kindness, decency, and morality. She did not have a mean bone in her body. She regarded all persons she encountered as kind and good until otherwise shown, not the other way around. She talked the talk AND walked the walk. No one could have asked for a better mother and she will be immeasurably missed every second of every day.

Left to cherish her memory are her children, Gloria Richards, PhD and Anthony Grill; brothers, Willy and Claus Neeb (Germany); a sister, Ellinor Proctor; nieces and nephews; dear friend Karen Keefer; neighbor and good friend, Keith Pace, who looked out for her and is extended a heart –felt thank-you for all he did. She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Ellen Casey; former husband and subsequent friend, Sebastian Grill; step-daughter, Christine Turco (née Grill); lifelong childhood best friend, Inge Rubbert (Germany); dear friend, Marilyn Heizelman.

The family would like to thank everyone at Hospice for their compassionate care and support, with special thanks to nurses Jennifer, Denise, Becky, Tabitha and personal aide, Dawn.

As expressed her final wishes, memorial contributions in Gesa's name can be made to a charity that helps sick children, such as St. Jude Children's Hospital or the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Notes of sympathy can be expressed through the Share Memories tab above.