Aileen M. Hawse

Aileen M. Hawse, 89, of Waterloo, died at Lakeview Landing of Friendship Village, on Thursday, February 21, 2019. Aileen was born on November 2, 1929 in Melcher, the daughter of John and Florence (Kelly) Heath. She graduated from East High in Des Moines in 1947. She continued her education to receive a teaching degree in 1950 from the Iowa State Teachers College.  Aileen married Marvin E. Lawrence on June 2, 1951 in Carlisle; he preceded her in death in 1972. She then married Dr. John E. Hawse on September 17, 1994 in Waterloo; he preceded her in death on April 17, 2010.  She taught elementary students in Ackley, Iowa Falls, North Cedar, Edison, and Orange Township schools. Aileen then taught ABE/GED classes in the Success Center (now Metro Center) at Hawkeye Community College for 19 ½ years until her retirement in August of 1994. Aileen loved learning new things all of her life; she loved the challenge of the computer and learned the game of Bridge in her very late 70's. She was dedicated to raising her two children as a single mother, as her first husband died when their children were very young. She dedicated her life to doing the best she could so th...[more]

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at her children would have a good life. She loved teaching children in the public school, even making a comment to her principal that it was wonderful to be paid for doing something she loved so much. After Marvin died, and Scott had started kindergarten, she was hired to teach at the Hawkeye Tech Success Center. She taught there for almost 20 years and helped over 2000 students brush up on basic skills and many of them ultimately reached their goal - a GED or the ability to move on to classes on Hawkeye's Campus. Aileen taught Sunday School classes and Vacation Church School at Grace Methodist and also Westminster Presbyterian Church for over 40 years. Besides having taught classes, she was a deacon and a member of Chancel Guild. Her favorite hobbies include reading books, especially mysteries, playing games like Mexican Train Dominoes, Rummikub and playing Bridge. She also liked to exercise on the NuStep and going for walks. Social interaction was important to her, but she was also very content with her alone time.  Aileen was a hard worker and always wanted to do a job to the best of her abilities. She was valedictorian of her class at East High.  Aileen's grandchildren were very precious to her and she dearly loved spoiling them. When her family came to visit, they always wanted her to make monster cookies for them; this has been a family favorite since Scott was five years old.  Survived by her daughter, Lori (Bruce) Dieckman of Denver, CO; son, Scott (Erica) Lawrence of Colorado Springs, CO; two grandsons, Sean Jones of Orlando, FL and Nick Lawrence of Colorado Springs, CO; two step-daughters, Kathleen (Allen) Bodenlos of Grays Lake, IL, and Sharon (Rev. Dr. David) Esche of Geneseo, IL; eleven step-grandchildren; twelve step-great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Evelyn Carothers of Council Bluffs; and numerous nieces and nephews.  Preceded in death by her parents; two husbands; brother, John C. Heath; sister, Dolores Mertz; granddaughter, Grace Lawrence; step-daughter, Judith Carpenter; and a step great-granddaughter, Katelyn Jones.    To read the full obituary, please click here: http://www.kearnsfuneralservice.com/obituaries/aileen-m.-hawse