On the evening of March 15th, Lois passed away of natural causes surrounded by her beloved family at St. Peter’s Hospital in Helena, Montana. She was 95 years old.
Lois was born in Wheaton, Illinois on June 6, 1928, to Angeline (Jeschke) and Sylvester Katutis. She grew up in Wheaton in a Sears home that was brought by railroad car and horses and built by her father and uncle. Her father was in the greenhouse business and fostered in her a love of flowers and a strong work ethic, all of which has trickled down to her family.
Lois met her husband Douglas “Mike” Hitzeroth during high school in Elgin, IL. She enjoyed rolling skating in high school with friends. After graduating in 1948, she entered nurses training in Chicago. She and Mike married on October 28, 1950, in West Chicago, IL. Lois worked in the newborn nursery at McNeal Memorial Hospital in Berwyn, IL. She gave birth to Irish twins Robert (in January), and Barbara (in December), both in 1952, and stayed home to raise her children.
After her children went to school, she worked again as a nurse. She was a woman ahead of her time. She had a career, managed her finances, and invested in stocks. From 1961-2016 the family lived in a brick house on Western Avenue in Geneva, IL built by Mike and his brothers. Her home was always warm, inviting, and filled with her home cooking (her famous apple slices, soup, and lots of made-from-scratch goodies!).
After she and Mike retired, they traveled the world, and even traveled around the globe several times. Some of their favorite trips included trips to Asia, Australia, Europe, and ocean cruises. They enjoyed their yearly trips to Cancun, often accompanied by family and friends. She was an active participant in numerous Hitzeroth family reunions in Germany, Canada, and the United States. She enjoyed incorporating her children and grandchildren on many trips, inspiring a love of travel in us all.
After their son’s family moved to Montana, they had many frequent trips “out west” to watch athletic competitions and visit grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was sociable and enjoyed being a part of various activities, including a “Lois” club in the Chicago area. One of her favorite passions she excelled at was scouring the newspaper ads and finding things on sale. Engrained with a Depression mentality, she loved a good deal. She was clever and witty, a fast thinker, and ran circles around everybody, including behind the wheel in Chicago traffic, earning her the nickname “lead-foot Loie”.
Mike and Lois were long-time members of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in St. Charles, IL. She is with Jesus, and we look forward to seeing her again.
After many years of persuasion, Mike and Lois moved to Helena, MT in 2016 to be with their extended family. She supported her husband, Mike, as he died at home in 2018 after 67 years of marriage and missed him very much.
Lois loved playing Uno and Chinese Checkers with great-grandkids, and looking at pictures of what everyone was doing and where they were going. She enjoyed flowers and being outside, but also being cuddled under a blanket near the fireplace. She loved good food and had a sweet tooth. Being wheelchair bound her last year, we are quite sure she is very happy to be walking again.
She was a kind woman who seemed to always be smiling. She looked for the good in every situation, and she never complained, almost to a fault. She was always thinking of others, asking about our lives, and investing heavily into her family. She was generous, always finding ways to surprise and treat those she loved. She was stubborn and strong, and we wouldn’t have been surprised had she kept living for quite a while longer. She will be greatly missed.
We’d like to extend a special thanks to the caregivers at Angel Care, who helped her several times a day over the past year. She had special relationships with those ladies, enjoyed their company, and appreciated their care.
Lois was preceded in death by her father Sylvester, mother Angeline, and sister Elizabeth. She is survived by her son Bob (Donna), daughter Barbara, granddaughters Cheryl (Luke) Erdahl, Bethany (Mark) Brownlee, and grandson Jake (Mike) Hitzeroth. She is also survived by eight great-grandchildren: Ben, Annie, Ellie, Grace and Josiah Erdahl, and Brian, Nathan, and Tessa Brownlee.
A viewing will be held at 10:30 a.m. with a funeral at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at Helena Alliance Church, 1400 Stuart Street. A luncheon will follow the funeral at the church. Her burial will be held at the Montana State Veterans Cemetery at Fort Harrison after the funeral at 2:00 p.m., where she will be laid to rest with her husband, Mike. Please visit below to offer condolences to the family or share a memory of Lois.
Service Schedule
Funeral Service
11:00 a.m.
Tuesday March 26, 2024
Helena Alliance Church
1400 Stuart St.
Helena, Montana 59601
Reception
Following the service
Tuesday March 26, 2024
Helena Alliance Church
1400 Stuart St.
Helena, Montana 59601
Burial
After the reception
Tuesday March 26, 2024
Montana State Veterans Cemetery
Fort Harrison, Montana 59636
Service Schedule
Funeral Service
11:00 a.m.
Tuesday March 26, 2024
Helena Alliance Church
1400 Stuart St.
Helena, Montana 59601
Reception
Following the service
Tuesday March 26, 2024
Helena Alliance Church
1400 Stuart St.
Helena, Montana 59601
Burial
After the reception
Tuesday March 26, 2024
Montana State Veterans Cemetery
Fort Harrison, Montana 59636
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