Anneliese Brian Obituary (1922

Anneliese was born August 2, 1922, to Elizebeth (Womboldt) and Johanes Gunkel, in Darmstadt, in the state of Hessen, Germany. She is the oldest of 4 sisters. As she was growing up and attending school she helped her mother with her sisters. Her father was a farrier and saddle maker by trade, and a musician. Her mother was a homemaker. Anneliese learned her life skills from her mother, other family members and neighbors. She adapted well and learned survival skills to survive during WWII. In 1945 she gave birth to a daughter named Ursula. In 1947 she met Clifford Beauford Archer, an American Army soldier who served in the US occupation. In 1948, she gave birth to her son, Jurgen. Archer was transferred without notice and Anneliese worked and tried to maintain her home. Ursula passed away in 1949. In 1956, Anneliese and Jurgen immigrated to the US, moving to Parker, WA, and lived with C. Archer's parents. She did not speak English. In early 1957 she got a job at the Yakima Air Terminal as a waitress in the classy airport restaurant where she met Joe Brian, an employee of Decoto Brothers Aircraft. Joe and Anneliese married in 1957, and established a family home in Terrace Heights. Joe, Anne and Jurgen built their house with Joe buying material every payday and the family working together until they could move in and finally finish the home. Anneliese loved plants and flowers, starting a garden including fruit trees and evergreen trees, birch, nuts, and berries. She had a vegetable garden and always shared the fruits of her labors. She did a lot of canning and made jam, going to the lower valley for what she could not grow. She was very thrifty and shopped for sales, storing away for rainy days. Anneliese also worked at Decoto Brothers, and later at Libby's and Del Monte canneries, and Pacific Fruit & Produce. She and Joe took pride in trying to be productive. Jurgen graduated from high school and joined the military and she took pride in and showed concern for the military members, donated to any and all veterans organizations. She was extremely proud to be a US citizen and to have learned English. Anneliese loved travelling. She and Joe went on many bus tours with Accent Tours, and they went to Ireland and Germany together to visit Anne's father. They also visited Jurgen when he was stationed in Germany. She has traveled to Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Texas, New Mexico and Canada by bus. When Joe became ill she was by his side every day in the hospital and skilled care facility. She never learned to drive but she managed to get around, going daily to see Joe, taking oranges to him, comforting him. She experienced many health concerns in her later years but bounced back time after time and continued to try to be productive. At 93 she got pneumonia shoveling snow at her home. She had the strength of her convictions and did not hesitate to express herself when the occasion arose. Her life principles were family, work and living life the best you can. She touched many people's lives and was known by many wherever she went. Anneliese was preceded in death by her father and mother, daughter Ursula, in Germany; a sister Ida Huff of Federal Way, WA; and a sister Erica Ziefler of Germany; and her husband Joseph Brian of Yakima. Surviving family includes her son Jurgen Brian of Port Orchard, WA, a grandson, Virgil Lee Marcus Brian; her youngest sister Waltraud Schaffer of Germany; and 9 nieces and nephews in Germany and the United States. Memorial donations may be made to Canines for Wounded Warriors, and Service Dogs for Veterans. Viewing will be offered Saturday, May 14, 2016, from 1 to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, May 15, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Shaw & Sons Funeral Directors, 201 N. 2nd Street, Yakima. Funeral Services will be Monday, May 16th, at 11:00 a.m., also at the funeral home.