Paulette Maloney- Herwig

Paulette Maloney-Herwig 1944-2020 If you ever met Paulette Maloney-Herwig during her all-too brief stay on this good earth, you would know two things about her pretty quickly. First, she was good to her core, building a life and a career around helping those who were in need of fixing. Second, she was a fighter to the very end, which came to her on Friday, December 18th, 2020, after a 14-year battle with Leukemia. 14 years. We said she was a fighter. Her last moments were spent surrounded by family at St. Lukes Hospital, a place she liked to joke was her “timeshare” in recent years. She was 76 years old. She could turn her darkest hours of suffering into a moment of levity with her well-honed gallows humor that was sharpened by her nearly sixty years as a Nurse. She had a way of taking life’s difficulties in stride, and always focused on the needs of those around her first. And difficulties she had. Paulette was born in Ishpeming, MI November 26th, 1944 to her parents Paul and Mary Maloney(Simmons). She was joined by twin sister Mary Curtis(Maloney), brother Daniel Maloney, and sister Katherine Maloney. But this family was soon rocked by the early death of their parents and the four children were placed in an orphanage, with the three sisters being adopted eventually by Fr. Jack Maloney. Paulette attended nursing school, becoming an RN at St. Joseph's Hospital in Hancock, MI, where she met her future husband, Warren Herwig. The two moved to Greenfield, WI to start a family and grow their careers, eventually settling in the suburb of Wind Lake. There, the couple begot sons Warren J., Brian, Daniel and daughters Elizabeth and Erin. While the couple split eventually, Paulette remained in Wind Lake with her clan, and lived on Oak Lane to the end of her days, surrounded by truly wonderful neighbors who took care of one another the way a community is supposed to. Baked goods were dropped off quietly without a need for a thanks. A foot of wet, Wisconsin snow would somehow magically plow itself after every storm. Dogs were walked. Broken hearts and minds were cared for. Limbs downed from strong winds were dutifully disposed of. She was a big part of Oak Lane, and it a large portion of her. Everywhere Paulette went, she built a similar community. Professionally, Paulette was a gifted and devoted nurse and mentor who worked at West Allis Memorial Hospital, Sacred Heart School of Theology, DePaul Bellview, Roger's Memorial Hospital, CRG, St. Camillus and Aurora Psychiatric Hospital, from which she retired just last year, at the age of 75. (We did say she was a fighter, right?) Somehow between raising a family and often working third shift to make that possible, she also earned a Baccalaureate of Science from the College of St. Francis in 1990. She was extremely sociable, staying connected with old friends over the decades, while still finding time to make room for all the new ones she would accumulate like moths to a light. But above all, she had a deep-seated love of — and devotion to — her family. While she only had a year of retirement — and much of that in failing health — she used every minute of it to connect with her grandchildren Allison, Stephen, Jacob, Edison and Eames, and served as a very special Auntie "P" to Todd, Tracy, Timothy, Tyler and Trevor. She was a voracious reader, and loved nothing more to be curled up with a book, her dog Chuy by her side, watching the squirrels and birds raid her well-stocked feeders on her back patio. Paulette was a life-long practicing Catholic and preceded in death by her parents Paul and Mary Maloney(Simmons), Fr. Jack Maloney, brother Daniel Maloney, and sister Katherine Maloney. Survived by her twin sister Mary Curtis(Maloney), sons Warren J., Brian, Daniel(Rebecca) and daughters Elizabeth and Erin. A heartfelt thank you goes out to all of Paulette’s caregivers over the years, especially those at Aurora St. Luke’s, who had come to know her by name, and to her amazing neighbors who made her final years a bit easier. You are truly remarkable people. Her long friendship with Bill W. was also a source of strength and healing for many decades. Due to COVID-19, we will be holding a private Mass for Paulette in January, and we are planning a celebration of her life for sometime in September when we hope it is safe once again to pay our respects to this red-headed force of Nature. If you are interested in attending in September, please leave your contact information here. Also, if you’re on Facebook, please check Paulette’s account and we will announce the details there as well. Christmas Eve was the most special time for our family. It’s was Paulette’s favorite day of the year. With her passing right before the holidays, we ask that if you would like to do something in honor of her before we can all gather once again, please light a candle at 7pm on Christmas Eve and listen to or sing "O Holy Night” at your respective homes. She would love nothing more.