Annelies Lapera

Annelies Lapera, née Frankl, passed on June 13, 2016 at Frederick Memorial Hospital, surrounded by her loving family. Annelies is survived by her husband of 68 years, Martin C. Lapera; son Peter and his wife Annabella, of Potomac, MD; son Martin S. and his wife Joan, of Walkersville, MD; daughter Elizabeth Lapera-Valenzuela and her husband Mike Valenzuela of Duluth, GA.; her brother Peter Frankl and wife Irmgard of Munich, Germany; sister Elfriede Lapira of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany; grand-daughters Nicole with husband Justin Holler, Anna Lapera with husband Steven Woodson, and Brianna Valenzuela; grandsons Justin Gianniny with wife Kerry and  Michael Valenzuela; and great-grandchildren Lukas, Kennedy and Maddox Holler, and Mila and Campbell Gianniny.

In Germany, she is also survived by nieces Cathrine Venner and Simone Fiedler and their husbands and children.  Also, many nieces and nephews survive her in Hawaii.

Annelies is predeceased by her parents Peter and Katharina Frankl, her big brother Benedikt Frankl, her beloved daughter Barbara Ann and her treasured grandson Peter Anthony.

Annelies was born in Grainau, Bavaria, Germany to Peter and Katharina Frankl on September 5, 1930.  She grew up as a teenager in Garmisch-Partenkirchen facing extreme hardships during World War II Germany.  Her inseparable older brother was drafted into the German army and died in battle in Italy at barely 17.  Annelies’ mother was overcome by grief, leaving Annelies to bear major responsibility for raising her younger brother and sister, while the family struggled for shelter and food.  She met the love of her life, Martin, a quiet, strong and kind U.S. Army soldier in the post-war years. They were married in 1948 and had their four children between 1949 and 1959.  The army life carried the family to France, Germany, Guatemala and Maryland, with many months spent in Hawaii. Theirs was a happy, close-knit family, with strong ties to all of the extended family in Germany and Hawaii, and Walkersville, Maryland.

Annelies brought strength, humor, wit and intelligence to raising her children. She was a walking encyclopedia and an avid student of words and languages.  With so much knowledge to impart to her children, she gave them a strong sense of their history with unique anecdotes of growing up in World War II. She encouraged warm relationships with families in Bavaria and Hawaii. She raised each of her children to be independent and accomplished in their own way, often making sacrifices to do so.  In addition to losing her brother in WW II, she lost her daughter and grandson.  She battled against diabetes and heart disease for many years. She faced this hard life with wit and wisdom, and was not only the greatest mother, but became the greatest grandmother and great-grandmother in the world.  She made all of us happier and wiser.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, June 17, 2016 at Stauffer Funeral Home, 1621 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick. A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 18 at St. Peter the Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Libertytown with Rev. Eugene Nikols officiating.

Interment will follow in St. Peter's Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the charity of your choice, which benefits children.

Expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family at www.staufferfuneralhome.com.