Ilse Woerndle

ILSE SPEMANN WOERNDLE. Born in Stuttgart, Germany to Adolf Spemann and Ernestine (Ina) Schulz Spemann, as the youngest of four children. Ilse passed away at 10:10 p.m. on May 1, 2013 at Holy Cross Hospital in Taos, New Mexico, after struggling through the Winter with a congestive heart condition. In spite of her illness and in- sufficient oxygen at this altitude, she refused to leave her beloved Red River.

Ilse lived her early years in Stuttgart with her family, learning her fathers book publishing business. As a teen, she worked in the German labor camps, that were mandatory for all teenagers, and became a concert violinist. Ilse learned heartache and tragedy firsthand, losing her two older sisters, Rotraut Spemann and Gerda Spemann, and her first fiance during the World War II. After the War, she met her future husband, Anton (Toni) Woerndle, while hiking in the German Alps near Tonis home-town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria. Much to her parents initial dismay, Ilse and Toni were married on June 14, 1949 in Stuttgart, Germany. Together, they forged a new adventure and a new life after immigrating to America in 1951. They arrived in New York by ship, and spent what little money they had buying vending-machine sandwiches and train tickets to Denver, CO., where they were met by friends from Aspen, Colorado who had immigrated some years earlier. Once in Aspen, Toni found work as a ski instructor and plumber, while Ilse washed dishes at the famous Red Onion. After a few years, they were able to scrape together enough money so that together with a loan from a local benefactor, they were able to purchase an old miners cabin on the far East end of Aspen, which they turned into a small bed and breakfast, their first Alpine Lodge. On August 6, 1957, Ilse and Toni became naturalized citizens of the United States.

In 1959, Toni was invited to join his Aspen Ski Corp. boss, Buzz Bainbridge, in Red River, as the first Ski School Director. Ilse stayed behind in Aspen that Winter to continue running the lodge. By the Spring of 1960, Toni was able to convince Ilse to move to Red River, NM where he intended to purchase the S. E. B. Motel from Stokes Bolton, who had built the ski area in 1959 and built the motel directly across the river. Through vision, daring, fortitude and hard work, Ilse and Toni converted the square, flat-roofed cinder block buildings into an alpine retreat, their second Alpine Lodge. Ilse was fundamental to this process, drawing designs for the buildings, adding a restaurant and bar, which were local and tourist favorites for decades, a ski rental shop and ski clothing shop, and continuing the operation of the movie theatre. Ilse also designed the infamous Ed Iver ski pin in the early 60s and was instrumental in getting the Junior Racing Team outfitted every winter. She will always be remembered for her out-going and positive spirit, for extending a hearty welcome to all (new guests and returning guests) and her famous New Years Eve parties for the teens of Red River. She treated everyone equally, even telling then Pres. Lyndon B. Johnsons daughters that they would have to wait to be seated for dinner just like everyone else. Ilse lived life and died on her own terms. We should all be so fortunate.

Ilse lost the love of her life, Toni, after a short battle with cancer on November 19, 1981. She returned to the business and continued its operation until selling the business and retiring in 1994. During the intervening years, she enjoyed traveling, and playing host at her home on Rose Hill, Throughout her life, Ilse was a force to be reckoned with, always out-spoken, reaching out to others, reading endlessly about world events, the arts, finances, preventative medicine, and meeting life head-on.

She is survived by her sons, George F. Woerndle (Carol) of Red River, NM, Rudolph A. (Rudi) Woerndle (Sandra) of Midland, Texas, grandsons Graham S. Woerndle (Jenni) of Midland, Texas and Chase W. Woerndle of New York City; her older brother, Dieter Spemann and nieces, Gerdi Smink, Hanni Schuster, Jutta Iversen, Astrid Schulz, and Dorothee Whitaker, all of Germany; her step-grandson, Daniel Madewell (Julia) and their daughter, Jade. Many of you may have met Gerdi this past Winter as she stayed with Ilse through the Winter and gave her such wonderful loving, daily care.

Memorial service was held on May 4, 2013 at the Red River Community House. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Red River Community House, PO Box 213, Red River, New Mexico, 87558, where Ilse and Toni were life-long members.

The family would like to thank all of the Red River community for taking such good care of Ilse and showing her so much love in her later years, and special thanks to Dina and Ron Burnham, Jessica Cross, Susan Hogrefe, Priscilla Heglund, Dr. Jaramillo, Dr. Bassett and her nurses, Candace and Tasha at Holy Cross Hospital for their wonderful care.