Bessie G. Schisel

Bessie Schisel (nee, Hasapopoulos), 96, of Garner died on November 2, 2024 at the Concord Care Center in Garner surrounded by prayer and family. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at the Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church, 1311 2nd St SW. The funeral service will be livestreamed on the Major Erickson Funeral Home Facebook page. Interment will be held in the Concord Township Cemetery in Garner. A visitation will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, from 4:30 to 7 p.m., with a Trisagion service beginning at 5 p.m. at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 North Pennsylvania. Memorials may be directed to the Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church or donor's choice. 

Bessie was born on May 22, 1928 in Mason City to immigrant parents, Constantine and Fotini Hasapopoulos from Kertezi, Greece. Her Greek heritage defined her and she share that heritage with later generations. Her youth was spent helping on her parent’s farm, taking on much responsibility while her brothers served in WWII. She helped her widowed sister care for three young children. She graduated from Mason City High School in 1948. After the war, she worked with her brothers in their Mason City restaurants, serving countless people with her natural graciousness and hospitality. Her loyal, hardworking support of her brothers was instrumental in their success.

Bessie married John P. (Jack) Schisel of Garner on March 11, 1962 in a wedding event her nieces and nephews still talk about. Her father had passed away and her maternal uncle Bill Douklias from Greece walked her down the aisle continuing the Family Connections across the Pond. In their early marriage the couple lived in various North Iowa and Southern Minnesota communities as Jack worked as a CPA and Bessie developed great friendships with neighbors in each location. In 1978 they moved to Portland, OR where Jack was employed at Brim and Associates as controller to numerous hospitals in Montana until his retirement. Bessie served in her Orthodox Church in Portland and nurtured many, many friendships. In 2000, they returned to Garner where Bessie enjoyed her family and friends. Jack and Bessie traveled to Greece where she strengthened relationships with cousins there.

Her greatest joy was nurturing relationships with her Hasapopoulos and Schisel families, especially her many nieces and nephews. She could be counted on for birthday card greetings, conversation about our various activities and in later years asking about the details of our lives as parents, knowing as much as she could about her great-nieces and -nephews. Even as she aged, she stayed in touch with numerous friends across the country and cousins in Greece. In her final years spent at Cardinal Grove and Concord Care Centers she cultivated wonderful relationships with staff, endearing herself to many of them as she got to know them and their families.

She will be deeply missed by all of us who loved her because she loved us so well!

Bessie is survived by her sister-in-laws Marylin Hasapopoulos, Shirley Hasse, Betty Anderson, Jean Schisel and Linda Schisel, and many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews who will miss her dearly. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, sister Theodora Challas, brothers and sister-in-laws George, Ted (Audrey), Peter (Betty) and Sam and Schisel in-laws Larry, Gary, Robert, Elling Schisel, Mavis (John) Peterson and Ed Anderson.