Romilda "Terry" M Hawley

Our beloved mother took her last breath and the hand of her loving Savior on November 2, 2020 as she entered into eternal life and heard him whisper “well done good and faithful servant”.

Romilda Mary Mainz was born June 12, 1923 to John and Elizabeth (Portmann) Mainz Jr. on the family farm in Charlesburg, Wisconsin. She was the third youngest of 8 children and the last surviving sibling.

In her early 20’s, mom ventured to the big city of Milwaukee where she took a job as a waitress at the Piccadilly restaurant. Shortly after arriving at the Piccadilly, her friends began calling her “Terry” as her given name was unusual and difficult to articulate. She made many lifelong friends, staying in touch through letters and phone calls all of their lives.

On May 28, 1949 she married Jerome Hawley sharing almost 60 years of marriage. Jerome passed into eternal life 3 days before their 60th wedding anniversary. Together they had 3 children: Debra (Gary) Pontow, (favorite and only son) Mark (Bonnie) Hawley, and Jane (Craig) Johnson.

Grandchildren: Phillip (Amanda) Pontow, Mark (Katelynn) Pontow, Lukas (Christy) Hawley, Laura (Paul) Writt, Caitlin (Ben) VandenWygaard and Anthony (Jen) Abel.

Great Grandchildren: Hannah, Margaret, David and Caleb Pontow, Carter and Gavin Writt, Vivian and Lillian VandenWygaard, Georgia and Rigby Abel.

Mom was a remarkable cook and baker, teaching her children and grandchildren how to cook and bake. In fact, she even taught her children’s friends how to bake. Desserts were her specialty and she made the best cream puffs. While her daughters don’t make them anymore, her “other daughter” Sally still does.

Mom loved plants and animals. She took care of anything and anyone God put on this earth.

She blessed her family and friends with prayer; daily rosaries and Catholic Mass. In these last years she watched Mass at least twice a day on EWTN and prayed for all her family. Caring for her family was top priority but making sure our souls got to heaven was a close second. She was truly a prayer warrior. Yes mom, we know “you don’t wait until your kids are in trouble to start to pray, you start when they are little”. And so, she prayed for her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren when it came to every aspect of their lives. She taught everyone how to pray in the difficult times but also to be grateful and thankful for all the blessings that came too. She definitely lived her Catholic faith and passed that to her family. In times of sickness or in times of celebration, she gave us a prayer card.

Mom, you taught us how to pray, stand strong, work hard (because if you work hard and pray nothing is impossible with God), be kind, forgiving and always see the good in others. Thank you for those gifts.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her siblings and their spouses Erwin (Delores) Mainz, Joseph (Marian) Mainz, Henryl (Marie) Mainz, Lester and twin sister Ester (Sister Leonta) Mainz, Mary Ann Mainz, Otto Mainz. Her in-laws Raymond and Johanna Hawley, Sister in-laws Mildred (Robert) Gerrits and Gladys Hawley. God children Bobby Gerrits, John Hawley, and Lynn Mainz Buhrow.

A funeral Mass will be held on November 7, 2020 at Sacred Heart Church, 222 E Fremont St, Appleton Wisconsin with Father John Katamba officiating. Visitation is from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. with 10:30 a.m. service. Interment will be at St Joseph Cemetery in Appleton. Because of COVID-19 masks are mandatory and there is social distancing in the church. The family truly understands if you are unable to attend. Please take care of yourself because your safety comes first. Remembering her in your prayers would have been what she would really want.

The family wishes to thank Ascension at Home, especially Dana, Kim, and Nicole.

We couldn’t have picked a better mother if we had gotten to pick her out ourselves. Mom, we will miss you and we will remember to pray and be kind to one another.

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die”. John 11:25 and 26

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