WEAVE’s Board President, Garry Maisel, recently lost his mother after 96 years of an amazing life. 

The real life American Dream. Born June 1, 1920, in Rhein, Saskatchewan, Canada to John Leis and Catherine Fuchs, emigrants from Germany. Raised on a dirt farm on the Canadian plains with her 13 brothers and sisters. A subsistence childhood filled with love and hard work. No formal schooling after the 6th grade. Left home for the big city at 16 to begin her journey through life. Worked as a maid for various families…some were kind to her some were not. Worked in a soda fountain. Made a mean banana split. Met the love of her life,  Paul (Mike) Maisel. Married at 22. Moved back to a farm in Rhein. Had a daughter, Gloria, disabled from birth. Lost Gloria to disease several years later. Dreamt of a better life. With her husband, Mike, sold the little they had in their early 30’s, packed all their belongings in a station wagon, left Canada and followed their dream to America, to Stockton, CA. Started a business from nothing. Mike, the muscle, Frieda the bookkeeper. Became United States citizens. Had another child, a son, Garry, in 1958 at 38 years old. Friends said they were too old (it was the times). They said oh well. They bought a home. They raised their son with love. They built their business. Life was good in America. Married 59 years until Mike’s passing in 2001. Time and life marched on. The years without him were quiet. Mostly good. Even as her eyes dimmed, Frieda never lost faith in her God or in her America. Both intertwined and inseparable. Long may her America live…an America of hope and not of fear…an America of dreams and not of despair…an America that embraces a poor emigrant from a dirt farm with open arms and an open heart. The America of Frieda Maisel.

Donations in Frieda’s memory may be made by clicking here.