Martina Kistner

Martina (Pietzsch) Kistner, passed away peacefully on December 15th, 2020 after a lengthy struggle with Parkinson’s. Born in Frauenhain, Saxony, Germany to Alfred and Katherina Pietzsch on May 21, 1936, her early childhood was extremely difficult, having grown up during and after the war. Her father was drafted into the Army when she was barely 5 years old. He was wounded, captured, imprisoned, and didn’t return until several years after the war ended. Food was scarce as the war raged on and everything was in short supply, and as the end of the war arrived, her mom, aunt, uncle and cousin were forced to flee from their home. They were ultimately stopped by Russian forces and returned to their home, which then became occupied by Russian soldiers who lived with them for many years. These harsh memories of her childhood would stay with her for her entire life.

After World War II, at the tender age of 21, she emigrated on her own to the city of Mannheim, West Germany. It was 1957 and talk of a wall being built to stop Germans from fleeing from East Germany pushed her to leave. Shortly after moving, she met the love of her life, Hubert, who was stationed with the U.S. Army after having emigrated to the US from West Germany in April 1953. They were married on March 4, 1959. After his honorable discharge from the Army in August of that year, they moved to Chicago, IL, which is where they started a new life.

Martina lived a selfless life, pinching pennies, saving for a rainy day and always putting others ahead of herself. After arriving in the United States, she took a job as an office worker at the Hilton hotel in downtown Chicago. She worked there for less than 2 years before having her only child Remo. She became a housewife dedicated to raising her son on the north side in the Peterson Park neighborhood. Over the years, she spent time with friends at many different German clubs throughout Chicagoland. She enjoyed going out on the weekends, hosting parties at her home, and, most of all, dancing. She was a member of the Niedersachsen Club Chicago, the DANK-Haus Chicago and the Schwaben Center. Weekends were usually spent with friends at some event. Martina was also passionate about fitness and staying in shape. You could find her in some exercise class most mornings during the week at the Leaning Tower YMCA in Niles. Some of her most treasured memories were from the many trips to Florida, strolling along Clearwater Beach, collecting sand dollars, or hanging out with the family at our second home in the Florida Keys. She used to race the grandkids to the ocean, running across the beach well into her early 70’s.

Martina was devoted to all of her grandkids. In many ways, she was their best friend, taking them to the park and always finding time to play with them. She adored them. She was the ultimate OMA. The grandkids always looked forward to her visits or going to visit at her house. After her husband passed away, she would often spend long weekends with her son’s family. It was not out of the ordinary to see her kicking a soccer ball, throwing a baseball or pushing the grandkids on the swing set. There was even a broken bone when a neighbor kid pushed her over during a game of soccer (at age 77). She enjoyed teaching them how to play cards, many different board games, and especially Rummikub. She loved her grandkids immensely.

Martina was predeceased by her husband Hubert of 39 years and her granddaughter Meleyna. She and is survived by her only son, Remo and his wife Heather, as well as grandchildren, Kyle (Brittney), Haley, and Kody. The funeral will be for family only. We will host a celebration of Martina’s life in 2021 after the pandemic starts to subside. If you were a friend of Martina’s and would like information, please contact Smith-Corcoran. In lieu of flowers, donations can be directed to Meleyna V Kistner Scholarship Fund https://www.rose-hulman.edu/about-us/communitay-and-public-services/institutional-advancement/giving.html c/o Rose Hulman Institute of Technology. Tell us how you knew Martina, we would love to hear the stories.

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