Norma M. Hawickhorst (91) of Teutopolis

Norma M. (Wessel) Hawickhorst, 91, of Teutopolis, passed away Saturday, July 30, 2022 at HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital, Effingham. She was surrounded by her family at the time of her passing.

A funeral mass celebrating Norma’s life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, August 5, 2022 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Teutopolis with burial in the parish cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Thursday at Bauer Funeral Home in Effingham. Memorial donations may be given to the Effingham County Humane Society. 

Norma was born March 27, 1931 to Henry and Elizabeth (Funneman) Wessel. She graduated from Teutopolis High School in 1949. Norma worked as a secretary for Effingham School District Unit 40 before assuming an administrative assistant role in the Teutopolis school system where she was employed for 27 years.

In addition to working in the Effingham and Teutopolis school systems, Norma was a dedicated homemaker, mother and wife. She and her loving husband Hank were married on September 29th, 1951 and raised four children during their 70 years of marriage. Hank preceded Norma in death in May of 2021.

Traveling was a passion for Norma and Hank and they took many trips domestic and abroad. Norma had a kind and gentle heart with a particular soft-spot for animals and children. She loved planting flowers in the spring and tending to them throughout the summer and fall. She was also an avid reader. Norma was a long-time member of the St. Francis of Assisi parish in Teutopolis where she was a member of the Ladies Sodality.

Norma is survived by daughters, Marla Bushur of Effingham and LeAnn (Mike) Buening of Teutopolis; son, Bryan (Inez Wilson) Hawickhorst of St. Peters, MO; six grandchildren: Jeremy (Ariella Ibarra) Bushur of Edwardsville, Kelly (Woody) Heuerman of Teutopolis, Jessica (Justin) Brasel of Edwardsville, Michael (Jamie Zerrusen) Buening of Teutopolis, Amanda (Nick Robbins) Brim of Branson, MO, Billy (Samantha Ganninger) Hawickhorst of St. Peters, MO; and 13 great-grandchildren. Norma is also survived by her brother, Theodore "Ted" Wessel of Jacksonville.

Norma was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Hank and son, Alan; brother, Bernard (Barney) Wessel; sisters, Marie Wessel, Isabel (Cletus) Merz, Roseann (Ann) (Lloyd) Walk, Julia (Morris) Walk, and Marge (Sister Theodora, O.S.F.) Wessel.

Special thanks to the nurses and staff at St. Anthony Memorial Hospital for their care, compassion and support.