Mildred Gieseke

Mildred Gieseke of Crystal Lake passed away on Monday, July 17, 2017.  Millie was born in Oak Park, Illinois on September 24, 1918 to the late Joseph E. and Marie (Blum) Smida.  When Millie was very young, her family moved to Fox River Grove where her parents opened a grocery store in the still present Grove Market building on Route 14.  Millie attended grade school in Fox River Grove and then attended Crystal Lake Community High School, graduating in 1936.  After high school, Millie attended and graduated from the Moser Beauty School and then opened The Swirl & Curl Beauty Shop on the second floor of the former Gieseke’s Department Store on Williams Street in Crystal Lake.  She operated the beauty shop until late 1946.

In 1939, Millie married her high school sweetheart, Lester F. Gieseke, who preceded her in death in 1995.  Les and Millie worked together in Gieseke’s until its fabric department was split off in the mid-1950’s and Millie opened The Fabric Shop.  She loved being a part of Crystal Lake’s Downtown, was active in The Ambassadors and Service League, and greatly enjoyed all aspects of running The Fabric Shop for over 50 years.  She especially enjoyed interacting with all her customers, helping them find material, notions, and patterns that were “just right.”   Millie took special interest in her employees, mentoring many as they started careers and families.  She also enjoyed travel, painting, needlework, and Word Search Puzzles.  For many years, Millie and Les enjoyed entertaining, water skiing, and fishing with friends and family on beautiful Crystal Lake.

Millie is survived by her daughters Leslie (John) Bose of Shaftsbury, Vermont and Lisa Sadlik of Crystal Lake.  She also leaves her grandchildren Adam (Colleen) Sadlik of Clarkston, Michigan and Kara (Eric) Martin of Pasadena, California as well as her great-granddaughter Rocklyn. She is additionally survived by her son-in-law Gary Sadlik.

Millie’s later years were enriched by the love and attentive care of her friend and care-giver Jadwiga Jaworska (JJ) and frequent visits from long-time friend and business colleague Christie Pfeiffer as well as visits from many other friends.  In addition, her loving cat Minky was a source of joy and entertainment.

Millie’s family appreciates your patience and understanding as we plan a celebration of life to be announced in the very near future such that family and out of town friends can be present to share memories and tell stories; as Millie would have had it!

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of the following organizations listed below in memory of Millie: