Ilse Ida Buchheit

Ilse Ida Buchheit January 27, 1929 - October 28, 2024 Ilse Ida Buchheit passed away peacefully on Monday, October 28, 2024 at Birmingham Green Nursing Home in Manassas, Virginia, leaving behind a legacy of strength, resilience, and love. Ilse was born in Zeiden-Codlea Romania on January 27, 1929. This German village was in the area of Transylvania, as she loved to inform everyone. She was the only daughter of Friedrich Mueller of Germany and Ida Stolz of Germany and the proud older sister of Helmut Mueller. When she was a 6 years old, in 1935, Ilse and her family left the Romanian Village where she was born and moved to Offenbach, Germany in 1935. She lived through the depression and the Second World War. As a young girl, she survived bombings of her building and town, starvation, being shot at, and living under occupied forces in her country. During that time she was sent off to live at a farm with strangers, had her tooth and nerve yanked out without anesthesia and witnessed the horrors of war first hand. She was reunited with her father when he returned from a prisoner of war camp. Her father received recognition for his support of Jewish citizens during the war. As a young woman in Germany, Ilse worked for a travel agency called Hapag-Lloyd Travel Beureau and her love for traveling and seeing the world was ignited. When Ilse was 25 years old, she left her family and Germany with 2 suitcases and lots of courage and determination to move to the United States on July 4, 1956, eager to embrace new opportunities. Ilse worked for IG Farben in New York City. She promised her parents she would return after a few years. However, before returning, she met her future husband, Richard Buchheit on a trip to Washington D.C. and was married in 1959. Although her parents were not thrilled that she was staying in America to marry him, Ilse was not swayed. After they were first married, Ilse and Richard moved to Iowa so he could finish school at Iowa University. She worked hard at the University hospital to help put him through college. Ilse became a United States Citizen in 1962. Her son Andrew was born in 1964 and her daughter Christina was born in 1968. Ilse was a devoted mother to her two children and stayed at home to raise them. Tragically, her beloved daughter Christina passed away at just 3 ½ years old in 1971. A divorce from her only husband followed in 1972. Ilse faced life’s challenges with bravery, raising her son Andrew as a single mother and creating a life filled with purpose and achievement. As a new single parent, Ilse found herself having to return to the workforce. She met this challenge as she had so many others and successfully found employment and supported her family, including keeping her home. Ilse dedicated many years of her career to healthcare, working as a nurse and office manager in a doctor's office. After she retired, Ilse fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a teacher by working as a substitute teacher and inspiring many students with her kindness and wisdom. After retiring again, she began to volunteer at schools including both the Welcome Table at Bristow Run Elementary School and T. Clay Wood Elementary School where her son served as the principal. Her friendly demeanor, strong work ethic, and love of people, earned her the lasting esteem and friendships of many people. Ilse was a proud grandmother to two granddaughters, Victoria and Jennifer, who brought immense joy and light to her life. Ilse became their care giver during the day when both girls were younger and they grew up very close to her. Although, Ilse will not be in person at Jenny’s upcoming wedding next year or the birth of Victoria’s baby, they both know she will be there in spirit as she was very excited about both events. Ilse will be remembered for her warmth, strength, and enduring love for her family, friends, and people in general. She loved music, art, and literature and was an avid stamp collector for many year. Ilse spent a great deal of time on the genealogy of her family and her ex-husband’s family and became the family historian of both families. She had an unquenchable appetite for knowledge and information and was always reading or learning new things. However, she was most content when spending time with her family and friends and her dogs and/or reading. She loved animals, especially hummingbirds which she watched tirelessly, swans which became her spirit animal, and all the family dogs, especially Murphy, who in her later years brought her such happiness when he visited her at her nursing home. Ilse met most of the goals she set for herself except living to 100 years old. She loved to travel and would often share that she has travelled all over the world from Mexico to Russia and from Egypt to Iceland. She loved her relatives and was devastated when her younger brother Helmut passed away 8 years ago. She was also a great and thoughtful friend. Ilse’s memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew her. She will be dearly missed. Ilse is survived by: son Andrew Buchheit, granddaughters Victoria Buchheit and Jennifer Buchheit, and nephews Markus Mueller, Gotz Muller, and Timo Muller of Germany She was preceded in death by her daughter Christina, her parents and her younger brother, Helmut. A Memorial Service and Celebration of Life will be held at 2pm Sunday, November 10, 2024 at Pierce Funeral Home located at 9609 Center St, Manassas, Virginia 20110. The family will be receiving guests starting at 1pm. There will be a light reception at the funeral home directly after the service in the reception room on the premises for anyone who wants to get together to share any memories of Ilse. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Crossroads Connection at https://crossroads-connection.org/donate/ in Ilse’s memory. Crossroads-Connection is a 501c(#) charity and ministry of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Haymarket. Gifts are tax-deductible and 100% goes to support food insecure children in Haymarket and Gainesville as well as local schools. Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church was Ilse’s church and Crossroads-Connection was dear to her heart. “