Ursula Lotte Loudin

Ursula (Ush/Urs) Tessien was a free spirit, a "water nymph" she used to say. She loved flowing with the natural tides, yet with her fire element being prominent in the Aries RAM that she was, she could kick away madly at any injustice worth fighting for. Any set back in life or love, she simply rose again like the phoenix and propelled herself forward. She was always on the lookout for opportunities to express her natural tendency to simply LOVE. In her memory, choose love today.

One of those that greatly benefited from her love was Bobby Loudin, an American soldier stationed in Germany during the Korean War. Bobby swept her off her feet and brought his young pregnant bride to Fort Lee, Virginia, where their first-born child, Kerstine (William) was welcomed into the big Loudin family. Urs and Bobby brought three more children into the world Daphne, Jeff (the late Mary Loudin), and Eric (Dolly). Ursula had such a connection with her children, grandchildren, and longed to complete the circle with her great grandchildren. That forge of love was unbreakable, through the inevitable dramas and conflicts of life. This was true with anyone fortunate enough to find themselves in her collection of truly "loved-ones". Nothing could shatter the bond she felt to them. Tarnished as some of these relationships sometimes became on the surface, under those choppy waters there was no end to her deep desire to forgive, move beyond and connect. This was nowhere as apparent as in her love for Sheila Moon; her ultimate long-term love, companion, playmate, and sparring partner, who proceeded her by mere weeks in death. They are roaming the galaxies together, no doubt. Sheila's five children and Ursula's four children waged a tentative link based on their mother's incredible love for each other. John, William, Dale, Teresa, and Yvonne each knew her in complicated and varied ways and will never forget her.

Ursula accomplished many things in her life; raising her children, a 30-year career as an administrator at Akron General Medical Center, pursuing and completing Bachelor's and Master's degrees after the age of 50, and building a successful business as a care provider to the disabled, disadvantaged and elderly. But none of these accomplishments held the meaning in life for her as the bonds with all those she loved. She loved beautiful and simple things; especially clouds in a blue sky, vast bodies of water, wild and propagated flowers, and all things green that grew from the earth. She loved the incredible multi-faceted stories of people's lives; listening with her heart to any that spoke their truth to her, which included the stories she loved in movies, or in reading her beloved books, and listening to and viewing opera and musicals. She so loved to dance. Her love for her homeland Germany, kept her returning to visits with her family and she is predeceased by her mother, Lotte, her father Hans, and her beloved stepmother, Otti. She is survived by her brother Wolf (Edith) and his children, Silke (Attila) and Rolf, and great-niece Insa (Tim), as well as the little sister she loved so fully, Burgis (Helge) and the entire Schubert clan, also a smattering of girlfriends that were lifelong friends.

Of Ursula's four children, Daphne and Eric provided her with the blessings of multiple babies. She is mourned by Daphne's seven children: Jennifer (Dylan) and their child Emerson, Jerry (David), Tricia (Brian), Katie (Tim) and their child Peyton, Brittany, Hannah and Daphne/Dee (Matt). Eric brought the beautiful Puerto Ricans along for the ride, with babies everywhere from Jessica, mother of Jazlynn and Amaiya, to Diana (Eddie) who so lovingly shared Jadyn, Gianni and Olivia with her; to Michael (Amanda) and their beauties Ava, Annalysse and Avery; and finally, Steven (Jessica) and little Mia, along with Dolly's other children, Loren and Mikael. There are doubtless many names that should be on this list, including every single member of the large hillbilly Loudin family from West Virginia that loved her as their own, the dykes that marched in San Francisco for the right for women to love each other, her innumerable friends including Wayne (Johnny) and Joanne (Jeannie) who never forgot her as well as her little dog Chloe, that loved her as mightily as any human ever did or could.

Consistent with her wishes, Ursula has been cremated and her ashes will be sprinkled with love just as she asked. We will watch the twinkling stars and know that she is free.

If you wish to be kept appraised of a Celebration of Life that shares the memories of both Ursula and Sheila, we hope to hold one this summer.

Keep in touch via email at kersty@streambb.com. If you would like to support her memory, love someone unlovable. That was the greatest gift she taught us all.