Gisela Ruth McCafferty, loved animals, nature

Gisela Ruth McCafferty, 95, of Rehoboth Beach, passed peacefully in her sleep on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. She was born Sept. 16, 1928, in Berlin, Germany, to the late Walter and Johanna Tiede.

Gisela attended Beulaville High School in North Carolina, graduating in 1951. Later in life, she moved to Wilmington, where she met Bill McCafferty, marrying July 19, 1969, and staying up that entire night to watch the first moonwalk. She started a 30-year career in customer service with Blue Cross Blue Shield. After retiring, she worked 10 years for Milford Memorial Hospital.

She loved nature and all animals, especially cats, affectionately known as the cat lady, in her Tru-Vale Acres community in Rehoboth Beach.

In addition to her parents, Gisela was preceded by her husband, William G. “Bill” McCafferty. She is survived by her son, GL Jefferson and his wife Debra; her stepdaughters, Barbara Roe, and Kim Dewey and her husband Kevin; as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Gisela’s family would like to thank the staff at Milford Place who loved and cared for their GG.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 6, at Parsell Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 16961 Kings Hwy., Lewes, where friends and family may visit beginning at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Epworth Methodist Cemetery, Rehoboth Beach.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Gisela's name can be made to Just Us Cat & Kitten Rescue, c/o C. Myers, 306 S. Drive, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971.

Visit Gisela's Life Memorial webpage at parsellfuneralhomes.com.