Yulah Jean (Brink) Sisler

Yulah Jean Sisler (Brink), a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and aunt passed away peacefully on December 30, 2025.  She was 91 years old.

Born on September 22, 1934, to Hazel and Walter Brink in Redfield, South Dakota, Yulah spent her formative years on the family dairy farm in Cohasset, Minnesota.  She attended Grand Rapids High School and began her studies in music at Bemidji State University.  It was in Minnesota that she fell in love with her hometown sweetheart, (Ralph) Lee Sisler; the couple married in Grand Rapids in 1955.

The young couple moved to Peoria, Illinois, where Yulah completed her degree in Music at Bradley University.  She taught music until she began her most cherished role—raising her family.  Eventually returning to White Bear Lake, Minnesota, Yulah remained deeply connected to the arts, playing piano for the "One O'Clock Highs," "The Fly By Nights," and the Lake Shore Players community theater.  She also enjoyed a successful career as a Real Estate Agent for Edina Realty.

Following Lee’s transfer with the 3M Telecom Products Division, the family moved to Austin, Texas, where they built their dream home in West Lake Hills in 1992.  Yulah embraced her community in Austin, becoming a devoted member of the Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church.  She and Lee were active volunteers and cherished the time spent with friends at the post-service Sunday Breakfast Club.  She also enjoyed evenings out at the University of Texas (UT) Club and traveling the world, often accompanying Lee on business trips to Europe and Japan.

Yulah was fiercely proud of her Scandinavian heritage, a passion best expressed through her exceptional cooking and baking.  Her family will fondly remember the legendary cookie table at Christmastime, alongside a traditional dinner featuring Swedish meatballs, Lefse, oyster stew, and fruit soup.  True to her roots, she was one of the few brave enough to enjoy the lutefisk.

A woman of immense creativity, Yulah’s other great passions were knitting, sewing, and quilting.  A member of a group affectionately known as the "Quilting Ladies," she poured her love into every stitch.  She knit sweaters, mittens, and hats for her family, made dresses and pajamas, and—most significantly—created treasured quilts to mark her grandchildren's high school graduations and the births of her great-grandchildren.

Yulah took pride in presenting her best self, enjoying getting her hair and nails done weekly.  She also cherished her "Sunday Suppers" with neighbors Molly and George Drazic, friends who truly became family.  For the past couple of years, Yulah resided in Newark, Delaware, to be closer to her son Gregg’s family.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, (Ralph) Lee Sisler, who passed away in 2013 after an extended battle with Parkinson’s Disease.  Yulah managed his care with grace and strength.

Yulah is survived by her three sons, Gary Sisler (Christine), Paul Sisler (Sheri), and Gregg Sisler (Sandy); and her pride and joy, her eight grandchildren: Ali (Bryan), Adam (Lauren), Haley (Anthony), Danny (Rebecca), Michael (Liz), Jenna (Bryce), Dylan (Kate), and Garret.  She also leaves behind a legacy of 11 great-grandchildren: Caelin, Declan, Audrey, Maya, Logan, Connor, Ava, Braylee, Laikyn, Mickey, and Addy.

She is also survived by her sister, Loya Olsen of Rochester, Minnesota, and will be lovingly remembered by her brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and many nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are invited to visit on Tuesday, January 13th, 2026, from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Doherty Funeral Home, 3200 Limestone Road, Wilmington, DE 19808, where a Remembrance Service will commence at 4:00.  Interment will be held at a later date in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Yulah may be made to the Capital Area Parkinson’s Organization (P.O. Box 27565, Austin, Texas 78755), the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, or the charity of your choice.

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