We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever, but to create something that will.
Roma Catherina (Spindler) Maeuser, 103, went to her eternal home at 2:20 p.m. on Monday, August 16, 2021. She was greeted with open arms by her Heavenly Father, her husband of 53 years Oscar William Maeuser, her second daughter Marion F. Johnson, infant grandson Daniel Johnson, and teenaged granddaughter Jennifer Henschel. Always proud and loyal to her Spindler heritage she was so happy to be reunited with her parents Walter and Louisa Spindler, her sister Nelda (Louis) Wehrmann, and brothers Norman SR (Elsie, and Harriet), Elmer (Lucille), Arno, and Lester (Marilyn) Spindler as well as numerous other relatives and friends.
Roma was born on the Spindler homestead on June 30th. It was a hot day when everyone was busy harvesting hay. The year was 1918. One of her early goals in life was to graduate from high school. That meant milking 8 cows both before and after school and walking 1-3 miles to catch a ride to school. Roma graduated from Kiel High School in 1936. She was the only one in her family to do so. After high school she worked as a housekeeper for one of her neighbors.
Roma came from a very musical family and for a time was a piano player with the Harmony Boys Polka Band. Her brothers Norman Sr. and Elmer were also in that band. For a time the band was featured on the radio weekly.
On July 20, 1938 Roma married Oscar at the Bethel German Reformed Church located in the Town of Herman. After marriage she moved to her husband’s families homestead where the Maeuser family has lived since 1854. The farm has been passed down from father to son and now is owned by Gene Maeuser Oscar’s only son. Roma lived on the homestead for 83 years of her life.
Roma continues to live on in the lives of her three remaining children Joann (Royal) Henschel and Gene Maeuser of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin and Charlotte Maeuser of Rochester, MN. She is also survived by 7 grandchildren: Gerri (Joe) Nelson, Faye (Paul) Navis, Brian (Wendy) Henschel, and Timothy (Penny), Scott (special friend, Kimberly), David (special friend, Carol), and Donald Johnson; 17 great grandchildren children Amy, Ryan (Angie), Joshua, Angel, Destiny, Adela Henschel; Breanna Meyer; Nicole (Kory) Konecny; Jenna (Zachary) Savina; Paige and Cody Nelson, Trevor, Alex, Drew, Derek and Madeline Johnson; Brennan Navis; and 6 great-great grandchildren: Braydon Wachholtz, Asher and Graceyn Konecny; and Brenan, Trevor, and Kellen Henschel.
Roma’s favorite hymn was “Count Your Blessings.” Her final years were spent living with extreme arthritic pain and a failing heart. Yet she said that she didn’t have to look far to see the many blessings in her life. Her greatest and only stated disappointment was that she could no longer work. Even then she reminisced that she could still work real good up until the age of 92.
Roma was the hardest worker we have ever known. She always said “If you don’t get dirty you are not working.” She put everything that she had into her work. At 99 years you could find Roma with her walker hoeing weeds. When she got tired she’d rest a bit and when ready felt ready went back to work. Roma was an equal partner in running the farm. She helped to milk the cows morning and night until well in her 70’s. All of that in addition to taking care of the children, a 12 room house, two large gardens, the chickens, and cooking the tastiest meals and most scrumptious desserts imaginable.
Roma was always interested in maintaining optimal health and how nutrition contributed being healthy. Well before it became fashionable she baked and ate only 100% whole grain bread, cut down on her consumption of sugar, and faithfully took a variety of vitamins that she believed were good for her.
Roma will be remembered as the family disciplinarian and for her strength of character, strong will, firecracker personality and frugality. She loved animals including indoor cats Houdini, Max, Merry, Fred, Red and Dolly the who were her special companions in the last years of her life. She also loved Kati and Buddy the collies and Spat the Border Collie.
Special thanks to Gene Maeuser for allowing both mom and dad to live out their lives at home. Because of his sensitivity, compassion, and loving kindness mom survived 3 years, 5 months, and 3 days at home after nearly dying after Christmas of 2017. She became acutely ill a month after her last surviving brother passed away.
Thank you to the Compassus Hospice team. Mom graduated from their care in June 2020. Very special thanks to Patti, John, and Teri Rietbrock for their continuing support and love. Thank you also to the St. Nicholas Hospice team for their support and care in the last days of mom’s life. We are forever grateful for your services.
We will be eternally grateful to Rev. Laura Yurs for her many visits and for serving Holy Communion to mom at home and to the Immanuel UCC Visiting Team for their monthly pre pandemic visits. Thank you to Rev. Jeannie Douglas, Immanuel’s new interim pastor, for her faithful service and words of inspiration. She stepped into that role recently. Also thank you to everyone who supported Roma with their prayers and best wishes.
Roma requested “After my death I would prefer it quite simple, easier on everyone, no service, no visitation.” In keeping with her wishes a graveside service was held at the Immanuel UCC cemetery on Friday, August 20th at 2 p.m.. Roma will be laid to rest next to Oscar, other family members, and many friends and relatives. A Celebration of Life will be scheduled for a later date when the Delta and other COVID Virus Variants provide a window of safety to do so.
Let life be beautiful like summer flowers and death be like Autumn leaves.
The Olson Funeral Home & Cremation Service has been entrusted with Roma’s arrangements.
Comments