<\/h4>\nIn 1946 just after World War 2 my Grandfather Pahlke brought over (from then Germany) family members who settled in Wisconsin, including cousins and uncles. He also brought over the first child refugee to Oklahoma City from a burned out and destroyed city (bombing by the Allies), a little five year old girl that lost her parents in the firestorm that ensued. She was in fact part Russian as well as German (as of my Grandfather).\u00a0 The little girl was flown to her new home in Central Oklahoma where she departed the plane, down the stairs of the TWA flight at Will Rogers Airport.\u00a0 \u00a0The Oklahoma Times (evening Daily Oklahoman) took her picture and ran the story and put the photo on the front page of the next evenings newspaper.<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nThe little dark haired girl’s life was documented (by the Oklahoman)\u00a0 through her childhood and as an adult. On many of her first Oklahoma birthdays the stories talked about her intelligence and how she learned English within one year and how she became one of the best students at Gatewood Elementary as a child from kindergarden on.\u00a0 \u00a0Her last story published was when she was in the newspaper in a unique story about her and her husband and two Russian ice skating dancers that held the same name as she and her husband, Terry and Gisela.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nAs she matured from a child to a young adult my Grandfather and Grandmother gave her the complete American upbringing.\u00a0 Grandparents William and Sophia, along with my Aunts Erma and Dorothy, taught her the lessons of life and how to become a competent young woman in time.\u00a0 Always dressed in the best clothes, she had the advantages of new and exciting experiences to give her an education beyond what the public schools could provide.\u00a0 Being outgoing and gregarious, she was extremely popular with others of her age as she grew up in an Oklahoma City with her adopted and loving family. <\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nShe discovered that dance, especially ballet, was a gift from God\u00a0 Instructed in various forms of the artistry in her elementary years, her skills manifested into a particular form of dance, ballet.\u00a0 \u00a0By age 15 she was one of the top young ballerinas, not only in Oklahoma, but in the nation. <\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nAt graduation from Classen High School (1501 Ellison, OKC) in 1961, Maria Tallchief. the “prima ballerina”\u00a0 from Oklahoma awarded her a full ride to study at her school of ballet in New York City.\u00a0 At that time, 1961, everyone associated with dance in the Southwest part of the country knew Gisela had the skills and abilities of becoming, in time,\u00a0 a noted name in ballet.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nA tough decision was made and she followed her heart, wanting to start a family, forgoing the NYC stage for a family setting in Oklahoma.\u00a0 She had already picked out the man in her life and her high school sweetheart would win out in a decision of love over fame.\u00a0 She\u00a0 did not go to NYC but stayed in OKC and married her man, Terry Head,\u00a0 and raised the all-American family. My Aunt passed a few years ago from cancer.\u00a0 She was in fact our family’s first world class dancer\/athlete.<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nPicture above: Gisela Pahlke, 2049 NW 20, left, and Gail Groseclose, 1915 NW 38, rehearse with youthful stage veteran Bennie Benson for their debuts Saturday night in the first annual stage production of the Oklahoma Academy of Dance. Circa 1955<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n
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<\/h4>\nThe little dark haired girl’s life was documented (by the Oklahoman)\u00a0 through her childhood and as an adult. On many of her first Oklahoma birthdays the stories talked about her intelligence and how she learned English within one year and how she became one of the best students at Gatewood Elementary as a child from kindergarden on.\u00a0 \u00a0Her last story published was when she was in the newspaper in a unique story about her and her husband and two Russian ice skating dancers that held the same name as she and her husband, Terry and Gisela.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nAs she matured from a child to a young adult my Grandfather and Grandmother gave her the complete American upbringing.\u00a0 Grandparents William and Sophia, along with my Aunts Erma and Dorothy, taught her the lessons of life and how to become a competent young woman in time.\u00a0 Always dressed in the best clothes, she had the advantages of new and exciting experiences to give her an education beyond what the public schools could provide.\u00a0 Being outgoing and gregarious, she was extremely popular with others of her age as she grew up in an Oklahoma City with her adopted and loving family. <\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nShe discovered that dance, especially ballet, was a gift from God\u00a0 Instructed in various forms of the artistry in her elementary years, her skills manifested into a particular form of dance, ballet.\u00a0 \u00a0By age 15 she was one of the top young ballerinas, not only in Oklahoma, but in the nation. <\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nAt graduation from Classen High School (1501 Ellison, OKC) in 1961, Maria Tallchief. the “prima ballerina”\u00a0 from Oklahoma awarded her a full ride to study at her school of ballet in New York City.\u00a0 At that time, 1961, everyone associated with dance in the Southwest part of the country knew Gisela had the skills and abilities of becoming, in time,\u00a0 a noted name in ballet.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nA tough decision was made and she followed her heart, wanting to start a family, forgoing the NYC stage for a family setting in Oklahoma.\u00a0 She had already picked out the man in her life and her high school sweetheart would win out in a decision of love over fame.\u00a0 She\u00a0 did not go to NYC but stayed in OKC and married her man, Terry Head,\u00a0 and raised the all-American family. My Aunt passed a few years ago from cancer.\u00a0 She was in fact our family’s first world class dancer\/athlete.<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nPicture above: Gisela Pahlke, 2049 NW 20, left, and Gail Groseclose, 1915 NW 38, rehearse with youthful stage veteran Bennie Benson for their debuts Saturday night in the first annual stage production of the Oklahoma Academy of Dance. Circa 1955<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n
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<\/h4>\nAs she matured from a child to a young adult my Grandfather and Grandmother gave her the complete American upbringing.\u00a0 Grandparents William and Sophia, along with my Aunts Erma and Dorothy, taught her the lessons of life and how to become a competent young woman in time.\u00a0 Always dressed in the best clothes, she had the advantages of new and exciting experiences to give her an education beyond what the public schools could provide.\u00a0 Being outgoing and gregarious, she was extremely popular with others of her age as she grew up in an Oklahoma City with her adopted and loving family. <\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nShe discovered that dance, especially ballet, was a gift from God\u00a0 Instructed in various forms of the artistry in her elementary years, her skills manifested into a particular form of dance, ballet.\u00a0 \u00a0By age 15 she was one of the top young ballerinas, not only in Oklahoma, but in the nation. <\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nAt graduation from Classen High School (1501 Ellison, OKC) in 1961, Maria Tallchief. the “prima ballerina”\u00a0 from Oklahoma awarded her a full ride to study at her school of ballet in New York City.\u00a0 At that time, 1961, everyone associated with dance in the Southwest part of the country knew Gisela had the skills and abilities of becoming, in time,\u00a0 a noted name in ballet.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nA tough decision was made and she followed her heart, wanting to start a family, forgoing the NYC stage for a family setting in Oklahoma.\u00a0 She had already picked out the man in her life and her high school sweetheart would win out in a decision of love over fame.\u00a0 She\u00a0 did not go to NYC but stayed in OKC and married her man, Terry Head,\u00a0 and raised the all-American family. My Aunt passed a few years ago from cancer.\u00a0 She was in fact our family’s first world class dancer\/athlete.<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nPicture above: Gisela Pahlke, 2049 NW 20, left, and Gail Groseclose, 1915 NW 38, rehearse with youthful stage veteran Bennie Benson for their debuts Saturday night in the first annual stage production of the Oklahoma Academy of Dance. Circa 1955<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n
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<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nShe discovered that dance, especially ballet, was a gift from God\u00a0 Instructed in various forms of the artistry in her elementary years, her skills manifested into a particular form of dance, ballet.\u00a0 \u00a0By age 15 she was one of the top young ballerinas, not only in Oklahoma, but in the nation. <\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nAt graduation from Classen High School (1501 Ellison, OKC) in 1961, Maria Tallchief. the “prima ballerina”\u00a0 from Oklahoma awarded her a full ride to study at her school of ballet in New York City.\u00a0 At that time, 1961, everyone associated with dance in the Southwest part of the country knew Gisela had the skills and abilities of becoming, in time,\u00a0 a noted name in ballet.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nA tough decision was made and she followed her heart, wanting to start a family, forgoing the NYC stage for a family setting in Oklahoma.\u00a0 She had already picked out the man in her life and her high school sweetheart would win out in a decision of love over fame.\u00a0 She\u00a0 did not go to NYC but stayed in OKC and married her man, Terry Head,\u00a0 and raised the all-American family. My Aunt passed a few years ago from cancer.\u00a0 She was in fact our family’s first world class dancer\/athlete.<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nPicture above: Gisela Pahlke, 2049 NW 20, left, and Gail Groseclose, 1915 NW 38, rehearse with youthful stage veteran Bennie Benson for their debuts Saturday night in the first annual stage production of the Oklahoma Academy of Dance. Circa 1955<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n
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She discovered that dance, especially ballet, was a gift from God\u00a0 Instructed in various forms of the artistry in her elementary years, her skills manifested into a particular form of dance, ballet.\u00a0 \u00a0By age 15 she was one of the top young ballerinas, not only in Oklahoma, but in the nation. <\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nAt graduation from Classen High School (1501 Ellison, OKC) in 1961, Maria Tallchief. the “prima ballerina”\u00a0 from Oklahoma awarded her a full ride to study at her school of ballet in New York City.\u00a0 At that time, 1961, everyone associated with dance in the Southwest part of the country knew Gisela had the skills and abilities of becoming, in time,\u00a0 a noted name in ballet.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nA tough decision was made and she followed her heart, wanting to start a family, forgoing the NYC stage for a family setting in Oklahoma.\u00a0 She had already picked out the man in her life and her high school sweetheart would win out in a decision of love over fame.\u00a0 She\u00a0 did not go to NYC but stayed in OKC and married her man, Terry Head,\u00a0 and raised the all-American family. My Aunt passed a few years ago from cancer.\u00a0 She was in fact our family’s first world class dancer\/athlete.<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nPicture above: Gisela Pahlke, 2049 NW 20, left, and Gail Groseclose, 1915 NW 38, rehearse with youthful stage veteran Bennie Benson for their debuts Saturday night in the first annual stage production of the Oklahoma Academy of Dance. Circa 1955<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n
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<\/h4>\nAt graduation from Classen High School (1501 Ellison, OKC) in 1961, Maria Tallchief. the “prima ballerina”\u00a0 from Oklahoma awarded her a full ride to study at her school of ballet in New York City.\u00a0 At that time, 1961, everyone associated with dance in the Southwest part of the country knew Gisela had the skills and abilities of becoming, in time,\u00a0 a noted name in ballet.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nA tough decision was made and she followed her heart, wanting to start a family, forgoing the NYC stage for a family setting in Oklahoma.\u00a0 She had already picked out the man in her life and her high school sweetheart would win out in a decision of love over fame.\u00a0 She\u00a0 did not go to NYC but stayed in OKC and married her man, Terry Head,\u00a0 and raised the all-American family. My Aunt passed a few years ago from cancer.\u00a0 She was in fact our family’s first world class dancer\/athlete.<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nPicture above: Gisela Pahlke, 2049 NW 20, left, and Gail Groseclose, 1915 NW 38, rehearse with youthful stage veteran Bennie Benson for their debuts Saturday night in the first annual stage production of the Oklahoma Academy of Dance. Circa 1955<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n
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<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nA tough decision was made and she followed her heart, wanting to start a family, forgoing the NYC stage for a family setting in Oklahoma.\u00a0 She had already picked out the man in her life and her high school sweetheart would win out in a decision of love over fame.\u00a0 She\u00a0 did not go to NYC but stayed in OKC and married her man, Terry Head,\u00a0 and raised the all-American family. My Aunt passed a few years ago from cancer.\u00a0 She was in fact our family’s first world class dancer\/athlete.<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nPicture above: Gisela Pahlke, 2049 NW 20, left, and Gail Groseclose, 1915 NW 38, rehearse with youthful stage veteran Bennie Benson for their debuts Saturday night in the first annual stage production of the Oklahoma Academy of Dance. Circa 1955<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n
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A tough decision was made and she followed her heart, wanting to start a family, forgoing the NYC stage for a family setting in Oklahoma.\u00a0 She had already picked out the man in her life and her high school sweetheart would win out in a decision of love over fame.\u00a0 She\u00a0 did not go to NYC but stayed in OKC and married her man, Terry Head,\u00a0 and raised the all-American family. My Aunt passed a few years ago from cancer.\u00a0 She was in fact our family’s first world class dancer\/athlete.<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\nPicture above: Gisela Pahlke, 2049 NW 20, left, and Gail Groseclose, 1915 NW 38, rehearse with youthful stage veteran Bennie Benson for their debuts Saturday night in the first annual stage production of the Oklahoma Academy of Dance. Circa 1955<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n
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<\/h4>\nPicture above: Gisela Pahlke, 2049 NW 20, left, and Gail Groseclose, 1915 NW 38, rehearse with youthful stage veteran Bennie Benson for their debuts Saturday night in the first annual stage production of the Oklahoma Academy of Dance. Circa 1955<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n
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