Obituary for Miriam L "Mim" Hawking (Haley)
Age 65, passed away quietly on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020 at Westford House Nursing Home, Westford, MA, after a ten-year struggle with early on-set Alzheimer’s Dementia. Mim was the beloved soulmate for 37 years of Robert Hawking of Chelmsford, MA. Survived by daughters, Margaret Hawking of Chelmsford, and Annamarie Golden (Hunter Golden) of Longmeadow, MA, and granddaughters, Abbie and Lydia. Sister of fraternal twin Robert Haley (Mary) of St. Paul, MN, Joseph Haley (Mary Ellen) of Joliet, IL, and the late Patrick Haley, J.D. of Chicago; and nieces Elizabeth and Sarah Haley of Chicago. Also, her sister-in-law Kathleen Kreminski (Jeff) of Woodstock, IL, niece Holly Huchko (Greg) of Roseburg, Oregon, and nephew Andrew Truemper (Sara) and family of Dallas, Tx. Cousins in New England include Carolyn Locke (Steven Locke, DDS), Hingham, MA; Elizabeth Foster-Nolan, J.D. (Sean), Weymouth, MA; Margaret Connolly, Dedham, MA; and Walter Foster, Kingston, MA. Other cousins and their families live far and wide, including Martha in Switzerland, Sara in Nova Scotia, Mary in Washington, DC, John in Florida, and Steve in Virginia. She cherished her “honorary sisters” Margie Loyer, Kathyrn Garcia, Marta Sprout, Sandy Splaine, Mary Bank Barney and their families. During the “long good-bye” of Alzheimer’s, the caregivers and families whom she met through adult day care at The Atrium at Drumhill, Westford House and Compassus Hospice enhanced her quality of life with their kindness and compassion and were often inspired by her humorous quips and warm smile. Special thanks go to her physician assistant, Bethany Vrouhas.
Miriam earned bachelors’ and masters’ degrees in religious education at Creighton University, Omaha, NE. In a career spanning over 40 years, she taught and/or served in campus ministry at Catholic high schools in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, St. Louis, MO, and Omaha, NE before relocating to New England and serving at the former Mount Saint Mary High School in Nashua, NH (1987-1992), and then 18 years at Bishop Guertin High School in Nashua (1992-2010) until retiring at age 55 when diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Still, with the help of friends, she was able to continue singing in the choir at 4:00 p.m. Mass at St. Mary’s Church in Chelmsford and as a member of the Greater Lowell chapter of the Daughters of Abraham, an interfaith organization of Jewish, Muslim and Christian women.
A private family service with eulogies will be livestreamed on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021 at 1:00 pm. Please click on the livestream tab below at the time of the service. Public visiting hours will be held at Blake Chelmsford Funeral Home, 24 Worthen Street, Chelmsford, MA, on Saturday, January 2, from 2:30-5:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations of your time, talent or treasure may be made to your family, friends or favorite charity who need help in this dark winter of Covid-19, and/or to the Financial Aid fund of Bishop Guertin High School. c/o President Linda Brodeur, Bishop Guertin H.S., 194 Lund Road, Nashua, NH 03060. (Checks payable to Bishop Guertin High School).
Miriam earned bachelors’ and masters’ degrees in religious education at Creighton University, Omaha, NE. In a career spanning over 40 years, she taught and/or served in campus ministry at Catholic high schools in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, St. Louis, MO, and Omaha, NE before relocating to New England and serving at the former Mount Saint Mary High School in Nashua, NH (1987-1992), and then 18 years at Bishop Guertin High School in Nashua (1992-2010) until retiring at age 55 when diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Still, with the help of friends, she was able to continue singing in the choir at 4:00 p.m. Mass at St. Mary’s Church in Chelmsford and as a member of the Greater Lowell chapter of the Daughters of Abraham, an interfaith organization of Jewish, Muslim and Christian women.
A private family service with eulogies will be livestreamed on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021 at 1:00 pm. Please click on the livestream tab below at the time of the service. Public visiting hours will be held at Blake Chelmsford Funeral Home, 24 Worthen Street, Chelmsford, MA, on Saturday, January 2, from 2:30-5:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations of your time, talent or treasure may be made to your family, friends or favorite charity who need help in this dark winter of Covid-19, and/or to the Financial Aid fund of Bishop Guertin High School. c/o President Linda Brodeur, Bishop Guertin H.S., 194 Lund Road, Nashua, NH 03060. (Checks payable to Bishop Guertin High School).