Lois A. Hermsen

Lois A. Hermsen, age 93, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones on September 28, 2022. She was born on November 23, 1928, daughter of the late Marshall and Adelia (Peterman) Bayorgeon.  Lois married Richard Brown in 1957.  Sadly, Richard passed away in September 1962, leaving Lois with 2 young children.  She later met Paul Hermsen and they married in 1964.  Paul had 3 children of his own and together they had an additional 2 children, blending a well-mixed family full of love. 

Lois started working at Thilmany Paper Mill while still in high school eventually working her way up to become secretary to the President, an accomplishment she was very proud of.  After the birth of her children, she became a full-time mother. Lois was a very accomplished seamstress who created beautiful clothing for her daughters over the years.  Traveling with Paul to many locations, including Hawaii, Mexico, Europe and especially Florida was something she delighted in.  Lois was an active member of the Kaukauna Elks Club for which she also traveled with Paul to many national Elks conventions over the years. Working in partnership with Paul on various business ventures, land development projects and the construction of their many homes and cottages was a large part of Lois’s life.   She handled the bookwork with multiple tables full of papers at tax time and always joked that she was very much underpaid.  For many years she was a member of the “Lois Club” and enjoyed her fellowship with other women sharing the same name.  Lois spent many hours reading, especially cookbooks and Nora Roberts novels. She was an excellent cook and had such an extensive collection of cookbooks that her children had difficulty sorting through them when she and Paul downsized. Perhaps her most treasured times, however, were when she and Paul hosted their extended family and friends at their Kelly Lake cottage over the years, while at the same time truly relishing their time alone at the lake.

Lois is survived by her children: Jeff (Debbie) Hermsen, Mary Sue (Tim) Woldt, Todd (Jan) Hermsen, Jeff Brown, Amy (Ray) Kelly, Gary (Maureen) Hermsen; 13 grandchildren: Derek (Jackie) Woldt, Jason Woldt, and Stephanie (Freddie) Berger; Brian, Katie (Adam) Hoebelheinrich, and Adam Hermsen; Ryan, Brayden, Tristan, and Brigid Kelly; Michael (fiance, Claire Vanden Heuvel), Thomas, and Olivia Hermsen; and 6 Great Grandchildren, Josie, Jackson, Lucy, and Hayden Woldt; and Grace and Hope Berger; siblings: Lee (Gretchen) Bayorgeon, Jean Flynn and Joan Berth; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

Lois was preceded in death by her husbands: Richard Brown and Paul Hermsen; daughter, Julie Brown; and brothers: Ralph and Dean Bayorgeon.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 14, 2022, at St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church, 411 Vandenbroek Street, Little Chute, with Fr. Ron Belitz officiating. Visitation will be at the church on Friday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the Mass. Interment will be in St. John Cemetery. For online condolences, please visit www.verkuilenfh.com.

Mom, thank you for your sense of humor, your wonderful meals and your enduring love, support and devotion for your family.  Your children and grandchildren are all blessed to have had you, together with Dad, as an excellent example of what true love is.  For this we are grateful.

The family would like to express a sincere thank you to the staffs of Eagle Court Memory Care and Moments Hospice for their compassionate care.  A very special thank you to Savannah who was not only a wonderful caregiver, but an amazing friend to Lois.

In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association in Lois’s name would be appreciated in an effort to one day cure this terrible disease.  https://www.alz.org

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