Margarete "Gretel" Fischbeck

Gretel was born in Heidelberg Germany on June 10, 1935 to Berta and Georg Hub. Gretel passed away peacefully on December 20, 2016. She is now reunited with her husband, Helmut and son, Thomas.

After Gretel’s marriage to Helmut Fischbeck in September 3, 1955, they left Germany and moved to Bloomington Indiana and stayed until Helmut received his Ph.D. Then they moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where Helmut became an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan. In 1960, they moved to Norman, OK where Helmut joined the faculty as a Professor at the University of Oklahoma in the Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Gretel was a member of the University Lutheran Church in Norman, OK. Gretel centered her life on God, family, and friends.

Helmut and Gretel built their house in Norman, which they loved and lived at for 32 years. Once they decided to move to downsize, their daughter Leslie and her family bought the house. In 1977 Gretel was employed as a school bus driver from 1977 to 1982. She was also hired again in 1985 and retired in 1993. One of Gretel’s favorite things while driving bus was listening to the stories from the kids and making sure the kids made it home safely, even if that meant she would personally take a child to their house if needed. For many years Helmut and Gretel traveled, whether it was with the Mobile Villa Camping Club or going to the Santa Fe Opera every summer. Gretel also enjoyed gardening and was a member of the Garden Club, and participated in the Engineering Wives group as well. For six years, Gretel was a volunteer at Norman Regional Hospital in the Pastoral Care Services. Gretel had a knack to put everyone’s needs above her own, and never knew a stranger. Animals have always held special place in Gretel’s heart, as she and Helmut volunteered at Second Chance for several years transporting the animals to different adoption locations.

Survivors include her daughter, Leslie Flenniken and husband Joe; sister-in-law, Helene Hub, daughter-in-law Patsy Fischbeck, four grandchildren, Audrey Flenniken, Tyler Cain, Hoyt Fischbeck, Kenna and her husband John Agnew, three great grandchildren, Peyton Cain, and Jonathan and James Agnew. Also surviving Gretel are her relatives in Germany: brother-in-law Dr. Reinhart Fischbeck; sister-in-law Berthild Heinz; niece Ursel Ruland and husband Dr. Alfred and their children. Gretel is preceded in death by her husband Helmut Fischbeck, son Thomas Fischbeck, and brother Kurt Hub.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Gretel’s name to the WildCare Foundation or to Second Chance Animal Sanctuary.