Dr. Gabriella Maria Botka-Wunder, 93, of Waterford, passed away peacefully Aug. 4, 2020 at her Burlington residence.
Gabriella was born to Laszlo and Ella Botka on May 3, 1927 in Budapest, Hungary. She grew up in Budapest. She had a happy life full of pleasant memories before WWII. After the war, she attended the Medical University.
Gabriella achieved her M.D. in 1953 and worked as a doctor, beginning a long, fulfilling career of helping the sick and injured. She met Charles Wunder, and they married in Budapest. Living in Budapest behind the Iron Curtain was a life full of difficulties and challenges. In 1956 during the Hungarian Revolution, Gabriella, Charles, and their son Johann (John), fled the country to Vienna, Austria with more than a quarter million fellow Hungarians. Leaving with only the clothes on their back and a small bag with their diplomas, they arrived in Vienna.
While they were now free it was still too close for comfort. When an opportunity opened for Hungarian refugees to go to America, they quickly signed up and were accepted. They arrived in America on Thanksgiving Day, 1956. Gabriella often commented that she “never saw so much food”. Coming to America opened many doors, and now they were truly free! They were sponsored by a church in Cleveland, Ohio, where they started their new life. In 1957 her daughter Beata was born. Several years later they moved to Chicago where Gabriella worked as a doctor at Mt. Sinai Hospital. Their son Charles was born in 1962. Gabriella and her husband Charles worked hard to make a better life for their children. The family moved to Milwaukee a few years later where she worked for the Health Department.
In 1969, they moved to Buena Park in Waterford, to bring her closer to her new job as a doctor at Southern Colony. She loved working there with many professional colleagues and staff, becoming good friends until she retired at the age of 77.
Gabriella was always hardworking and diligent in her job, a trait she instilled in her family. She received awards and recognition by the Governor of Wisconsin for all her years of dedication and hard work.
After retirement she traveled some and always kept up with continuing education to keep her medical license active. She was proud of all the achievements she accomplished over her life. She decided to move into Pine Brook Pointe Assisted Living in Burlington after a hip injury where she resided till her death.
Gabriella is survived by her children Beata (John) Luznicky and Charles Wunder; grandchildren John Luznicky Jr., Heather (Seth) Hutchison, Shannon (Jacob) Spencer, and Susan (Benjamin) Lesser; great-grandchildren Payton Luznicky, Kaleb Luznicky, Aubrie Hutchison, and Franklin Lesser; her sister Sari Czangar, and brother Laszlo Botka. She is loved and remembered by many friends and other family members in Hungary.
She was preceded in death by her parents Laszlo and Ella, her loving husband Charles, son John Wunder, and brothers Zoltan and Gyuri, in Budapest.
Service will take place at Rochester Cemetery on Hwy D just west of town, on Friday, Aug. 14, 2020 from 3 until 4 p.m. In lieu of floral expressions of sympathy, the family suggests donations to Pine Brook Point, 1001 S. Pine St., Burlington, WI 53105.
The family wishes to thank the entire staff at Pine Brook Pointe Assisted Living in Burlington for all the care and compassion Gabriella received while living there. The family also wishes to thank Aurora Home Hospice for the end of life care she received.
Mealy Funeral Home is serving the family. Well-wishers may visit www.mealyfuneralhome.com.
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