Mary Lou Havercamp

Mary Lou Havercamp

Mary Lou

Haverkamp

Mary Lou (Mathine) Haverkamp, age 76, of Brainerd, went to be with the Lord, after a four-year courageous battle with cancer on Friday, Aug. 26, 2011, at her home surrounded by her loving family and friends.

Visitation was held on Monday, Aug. 29, 2011, from 4-8 p.m. with prayers at 7 p.m. at the Nelson Doran Funeral Home in Brainerd and one hour prior to the funeral service at the church.

Mass of Christian Burial was held on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011, at 11 a.m. at St. Francis Catholic Church in Brainerd with Father Tony Wroblewski officiating.

Burial was in the Evergreen Cemetery in Brainerd.

Nelson-Doran Funeral Home in Brainerd was in charge of arrangments.

Mary Lou was born on March 18, 1935, in Winnetoon to John and Elizabeth (Tharnish) Mathine. She graduated from St. Ludger's High School in 1953 in Creighton.

She was united in marriage to Philip Edward Haverkamp on Jan. 2, 1956, in Creighton. To this union eight children were born. Mary Lou was kept busy as a homemaker and she always found time to help others including volunteering as a teaching assistant in the elementary schools in Kearney and delivered Meals on Wheels in the summer months with her children.

In the Brainerd community, she read to young children in the public school system; was on the steering committee for the summer fiesta fundraiser for the Friends of the Orphans in Haiti; and was an office manager in the physical therapy department at St. Joseph Medical Center until 1997.

Mary Lou had a deep and abiding faith and was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church in Brainerd. She was a member of the Council of Catholic Women (CCW) for more than 50 years, first in Nebraska and then in Brainerd. She served as president of the St. Francis CCW; president of the Brainerd Deanery; church commissioner for the diocese and was head of the Spiritual Commission. She also was one of the founders of the St. Francis prayer line and faithfully prayed for others in need for more than 24 years in that role.

Mary Lou is survived by her husband of 55 years, Phil and their eight children: Rita and Jim Johnson of Sonoita, AZ; Karen and Chris Hooper of Phoenix, AZ; Jeff and Phyllis Haverkamp of Kearney; Thom and Cheryl Haverkamp of Stacy, MN; John and Julie Haverkamp of Cloquet, MN; Andy and Sue Haverkamp of Loganville, CA; Gene and Sheila Haverkamp of Baxter, MN; Mary and Mark Milam of Sartell, MN; 17 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; five sisters, Rosaline and Bob Fredrickson of Snyder; Betty and Dave Walton of Franklin; Norma and Don Hart of Creighton; Pat and Darrell Kuhlman of Bloomfield; and Judy and Gary Wiebelhaus of Ft. Scott, KS; three brothers, Bob and Darlene Mathine of St. Joseph, IL; Jerry and Rita Mathine of Glidden, IA; Jack and JoAnn Mathine; and two sisters-in-law, Mary (Jim) Mathine of Creighton and Marilee (Dale Mathine) Sullivan of Grand Island.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Elizabeth Mathine, three brothers, Jim, Dale and Leonard Mathine; and two grandchildren, Reed Haverkamp and Stacy Erpelding.

Memorials may be sent to St. Francis School of the Lakes Area- Foundation or the Friends of the Orphans/Haiti (friendsoftheorphans.org).