Ursula "Uschi" Elizabeth (Goetz) Vogel

Ursula “Uschi” Elizabeth (Goetz) Vogel passed on to her eternal home with Jesus on March 1, 2024, in Gainesville, GA. Uschi was born April 28, 1942, in Kaiserslautern, Germany, spent summers in Avignon, France, and emigrated to Little Neck, NY, when she was 14 years old. She married the love of her life, Warren Vogel, in 1961. After their two daughters were born, they moved to Columbus, OH, in 1965 to raise their family. 

Ursula was a stellar student who quickly mastered the English language and graduated early from Bayside High School. She attended Hunter College in NYC, and graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in Education. Uschi became a US citizen in 1968, and together with Warren shared a strong sense of patriotism, faith and family.

During her career in education, Uschi taught High School German, co-authored a German college textbook (Lesen, Lachen, Lernen), created computer practice games for German students, as well as designed and taught conversational German classes for adults traveling abroad. She is warmly remembered for encouraging everyone to rise to their best grammar, regardless of the language!

Uschi and Warren retired to Savannah, GA, in 1992. They both had a passion for golf, and could be found playing several times a week at The Landings Club on Skidaway Island. She became famous for her incredible cooking and warm hospitality, and therefore countless memorable dinner parties. The entire family was able to enjoy their 20 years of living in “paradise.” Her most recent 10 years were spent with new friends in a wonderful community at Lanier Village Estates (LVE) in Gainesville, GA. She was extremely grateful for the extraordinary kindness, love and care from everyone at LVE.

Uschi leaves behind a legacy of love that will forever resonate in the lives of her family and friends. May her memory continue to inspire us to live with the same devotion and grace she exemplified throughout her extraordinary life. 

She is survived by daughters Deborah (Michael) Brannan and Denise (Jeffrey) Johnson; grandchildren Benjamin, Zachary, and Laura Brannan, Christopher and Erica Johnson; sister Diana Kotlar Tice; sister-in-law Arlene Umlauf; nephews Gerald Jr. (Monica) Umlauf,  Arthur (Doreen) Umlauf, Kristian (Tova) Umlauf and eight grand-nephews and grand-nieces. She is preceded in death by her husband of 55 years Warren Vogel; parents, Albert and Elisabeth Kotlar; parents-in-law, Arthur and Mary Vogel; and brother-in-law Gerald Umlauf.

A memorial service will be held in the Chapel at Lanier Village Estates on Monday, March 18, 2024, at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, you may consider a tax-deductible donation in Ursula’s memory to ACTS Legacy Foundation with “LVE Employee Enrichment Fund” in the memo line. Checks can be mailed to:

ACTS Legacy Foundation

Lanier Village Estates

4000 Village View Drive 

Gainesville, GA 30506 

To express condolences, please sign our online guest book at www.flaniganfuneralhome.com.  Arrangements By: Junior E. Flanigan of Flanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford, GA (770) 932-1133.