Louise A. Gilg

Louise Anne Gilg, 92, of Rockford died Saturday, April 30, 2016 at Alden Debes.
Born July 7, 1923 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, daughter of Gustav Adolf and Marie Rose "Hilda" (Carlstrom) Gilg. She lived all of her childhood in Haiti, her father being Swiss Consul there. After high school, she moved to Canada and studied at Alma College in Ontario and the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. She then moved to Switzerland and entered the community of the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross. She taught piano and French. In 1953 she came to the United States to become a member of the American Province of the community in Merrill, WI. She continued to teach and further her education graduating from St Louis University in 1963. She studied and taught in Canada, Switzerland, Missouri, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Texas, Minnesota and New York City. She was a hospital chaplain at St Luke's in Milwaukee and St Mary's in Minneapolis. In 1984, she left the religious life, retired from teaching, and became a nanny living in New York City, close to her sister Evelyn. There she did extensive research on family genealogy. In 1998, she moved to Rockford to be closer to her brother and his children. She became an active member of St James Catholic Church and the Swedish Genealogical Society. She enjoyed watching tennis and growing flowers. She always carried a camera to capture important moments, a beautiful flower, tree or sky.
Survivors include sister in law, Trudy Gilg, nephews, Gustave Christian (Felicia) Gilg, Ronald (JoMarie) Gilg, Norman (Tammie) Gilg, Vinton(Doris) Zwahlen, Michael(Janine) Zwahlen, Robert (Suzanne) Zwahlen niece, Rosemarie Gilg-Winquist, great nephew Travis Winquist, great nieces, Maggie (Jeff) DeWitt and son Sam, Katelyn Gilg and son Jared. Predeceased by brother Gustave Gilg and sisters Florence Zwahlen, Evelyn Sparacino and Andre Gilg.
Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 7, 2016 at St. James Catholic Church. Private family interment at a later date. Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, Mulford Chapel, assisted the family. To express online condolences, please visit: www.fitzgeraldfh.com.