LISELOTTE ELFRIEDE SIGMAR M.D.

Sigmar, Liselotte Elfriede, MD
Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and accomplished anesthesiologist, Dr. Liselotte Elfriede Sigmar, MD, passed away peacefully on February 23, 2013 in Houston, Texas, after a courageous battle with ovarian cancer. Lisl was born on May 9, 1930, in Vienna, Austria, to Franz and Karoline Gattermayr Nagel. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Dieter Joseph Sigmar, PhD, and is survived by her three children and their families: her son, Axel Michael Sigmar and his daughter Ann-Jolie; her daughter Monika Sigmar Burdett, and husband Mike and sons Jacob and Nicolas, all of Texas; and her daughter Elisabeth Sigmar Schmidt and children Eliza and Joseph, of Virginia. Lisl is also survived by her loving sister Ute and husband Henry C. Park, along with her nieces, nephews, cousins, and many dear friends from around the world. To those who knew her well, Lisl will be remembered for her love of family, friendship, and life, making every person she met feel special and making each day a celebration. Her strength, courage and determination were beautifully balanced by her quiet demeanor, genuine care, patience, kindness, generosity and humbleness. Lisl had a love of the cultural arts as well as travel, starting as a young adult with her first trip to the US aboard the Queen Mary and then travelling with Dieter through Europe on his motorcycle; sailing through the islands and taking many trips through Europe and Russia with her family and long-standing friends from the US and Europe. Lisl was also known for her dedication to her profession as an anesthesiologist, and remains a Member in Good Standing of the American Society of Anesthesiologists. She began her medical studies in Vienna and graduated from medical school in 1957, becoming one of the first female MDs in her field. She trained further at the University Clinic in Vienna in general medicine, plastic surgery and later transitioned to anesthesiology. It was through one of her favorite physicians with whom she studied she met her husband, Dieter. They were married on March 5, 1960 in the chapel of the castle of Schonnbrunn in Vienna. Upon immigrating to the US in 1966 with Dieter and their three children, Lisl practiced anesthesia at the Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge, TN and also at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, MA, moving between the two cities in conjunction with her husband's work as a nuclear physicist at ORNL and at MIT, respectively. During this time, she also completed her medical boards in Vienna and in Boston. In 1976, the family returned to Oak Ridge where Lisl ran her own anesthesia practice. They remained in Oak Ridge until Lisl's retirement in 1991, moved to MIT, and then moved to Lago Vista, TX upon Dieter's retirement from MIT in 2001. After Dieter's passing in 2005, Lisl enjoyed extended stays with her daughters and their families in Texas and Virginia. She also travelled with her children to Austria, bringing together relatives and friends to share in the family history. Lisl lived this past year in Houston, where she was provided with the most gracious care and outstanding cancer treatment at Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Woodlands, TX. In lieu of flowers, the family would be grateful for donations to: Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, 14 Pennsylvania Plaza, Suite 1710, New York, NY 10122. Telephone: (212) 268-1002. www.ocrf.org. In celebration of Lisl's life, a service will be held on Sunday, March 3 in Lago Vista, Texas. Additional information to leave a tribute or light a candle can be found at: www.carnesfuneralhome.com/liselotte-e-sigmar