Obituary of Adam Giesinger

DR. ADAM GIESINGER On Saturday, June 5, 2004 Dr. Adam Giesinger, aged 95 years, passed away peacefully at the Misericordia Health Centre in Winnipeg, after a short illness.

Adam was born on February 6, 1909 in a sod house on a homestead near what became the village of Holdfast, SK. From 1922 to 1929, he attended Campion College in Regina where he completed four years of high school and three years of university, graduating with a B.A. degree with distinction in 1929.

He served as a staff member at Campion from 1927 to 1933, teaching German, mathematics and chemistry. In 1933 - 1934 he attended the College of Education at the University of Saskatchewan to qualify for teaching in public schools. In 1934-1935 he held a part-time teaching position at Regiopolis College in Kingston, ON, while attending Queens University for further study of mathematics. In 1935 - 1936 he was principal of the rural Sproule School near Watson, SK teaching grades eight to twelve and in 1936-1942 he was principal of the school in Bruno, SK teaching grades nine to twelve. In 1937 he was awarded a B.Ed. degree by the University of Saskatchewan. From 1942 to 1976 he was on the staff of St. Paul's College, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, teaching chemistry, mathematics and (occasionally) physics. During this period he continued his studies in chemistry and was awarded a M.Sc. degree in 1951 and a Ph.D. degree in 1957 by the University of Manitoba. He served as dean of studies at St. Paul's from 1970 to 1974. Adam was a past president of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia. He published three monographs including his own autobiography and many articles about the Germans from Russia. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and in 1966 was invested in the Knighthood of St. Sylvester by Pope Paul for his services rendered for both Church and community. He was the organizer and first president of the Catholic Schools Trustees Association and a lay member for the Archdiocese of Winnipeg in the Catholic Conference of Manitoba Bishops.

Adam was predeceased by his beloved wife Margaret (Madge), who passed away in 1988 and by his first son Paul who died in 1949 at age 13. He will be sadly missed by his surviving children, Ronald and wife Claudette of Los Angeles, CA and their children, Jacqueline, Paul and Suzanne; daughter Jean Van Walleghem and her husband Dick and their children, Barbara (Scott), Richard, Paul and Nancy (Tom); son Gerald of Portage la Prairie; daughter Carole Tilley and her husband Peter of Denver, CO and their children, Scott, Sarah and Andrew; son Jim and his children Regan, Matthew and Michael; two great-granddaughters Sydney and Julie-Ann. A sister, Anna Misniak, who lives in Regina survives him. Pallbearers will be Adam's grandsons. Mass of the Resurrection will be held on Thursday, June 10 at 11:00 a.m. in St. Ignatius Church, 255 Stafford St. with Fr. Joseph Johnson, S.J. officiating. Interment will follow in Assumption Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Paul's College Foundation, in care of Dr. Adam Giesinger Scholarship Fund, 70 Dysart Rd., Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2M6.