Obituary of MSGT Joseph Martin Kisel, U.S. Army,

Joseph Martin Kisel passed from this earth on December 3, 2016 at age 88 after a brief illness. He died quietly in his home in Colorado Springs surrounded by his family.Joe was born in St. Vincent, Arkansas on September 14, 1928, the youngest of nine children. He was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Carolyn Kisel; his brothers, Joseph Frank, Carl, Ollie, and Christopher; and sisters, Margaret, Rose, Marie, and Carolyn. He is survived by his loving wife of sixty-two years, the former Gertrud Maier; their three children, Frank (Chris), Cindy (Dave), and Vicky; and their seven grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren. At a young age, he moved with his family to Lakin, Kansas, where the family lived and worked on a general farm. He played football and set track records at Lakin Rural High School, from which he graduated in 1947.After a brief stint as an apprentice mortician, Joe joined the U.S. Army in 1948, where he served in the Signal Corps until his retirement as a Master Sergeant in 1970. He served combat tours in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and earned multiple decorations, including the Bronze Star, over the span of his career. He met Gerty, the love of his life, in Germany, where they married in 1954. They lived in Army posts around the United States, including Arizona, Texas, Arkansas, Illinois, Alaska, and Kansas, and returned to Germany for an additional tour, raising their family along the way. Upon Joe's retirement from the Army in 1970, the family moved to Colorado Springs. Building on the skills he acquired in the communications field in the Army, he embarked on a second two-decade career as a commercial and residential electrician. He passed this passion to his son, Frank, who built his own successful career in the electrical field. Joe loved to make and fix things, and was a creative and efficient problem-solver. He never spent much time reading directions on how to assemble things, and never had much patience for those who wanted to waste time doing so! He and Gerty also enjoyed their twenty-year membership in the Colorado Springs Germania Club, where he served as president for two years. His love for German food and traditions continued throughout his life. But his greatest passion was for his family. He just loved spending time with his beloved wife and his children and their families, including his grand- and great-grandchildren. Children always brought a sweet smile to Joe's face and a twinkle to his incredible blue eyes, and over the years the tough Army Master Sergeant became a big, mellow teddy bear who would do anything for his adoring family. His family and friends will miss him greatly. A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00PM, Monday, December 12, 2016 at the Stone Chapel of Woodmen Valley Chapel, Rockrimmon Campus, 290 East Woodmen Road, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80919. Funeral Home:The Springs Funeral Services3115 East Platte AvenueColorado Springs, , COUS 80909 Events Service Monday, December 12, 2016 2:00PM Woodmen Valley Chapel 290 E. Woodmen Road Colorado Springs,, CO 80919 Phone: 719-599-8652