Obituary for Hildegard Maus
Hildegard Maus, “Hilde”, age 83 of Lindenhurst died Saturday, February 18, 2023.
Hilde was born August 6, 1939, in Darmstadt, Germany, the daughter of Heinrich and Theresa Huebner. During her very early childhood, she experienced the hardships of WW2, and the family (including her brothers Manfred and Robert) was forced to relocate to the countryside, residing on a farm for several years. Once they were able to return to Darmstadt, Hilde attended school and graduated with the equivalent of a high school degree with a focus on business. She then apprenticed for several years in retail department stores in Darmstadt.
In 1959 she followed brother Manfred’s footsteps and immigrated to the United States, where she found employment in Lindenhurst at Recknagel’s, a popular local restaurant on the shore of the Great South Bay. This began what would be many years of employment in the dining services industry, which no doubt provided valuable skills in later caring for and nourishing her growing family. It was at Recknagel’s that she met John Maus, also of Lindenhurst, and they wed in 1961.
Residing in Lindenhurst her entire life, she raised four children, exhibiting strong devotion to her family, a stoic resolve, and a good sense of humor through the family’s good times and bad. Her expectations for decency, honesty, hard work, and always trying your best were silently communicated to her kids through her own consistent and caring actions. Through her example, her children learned to always do the right thing.
She made many trips back to Germany over the years, starting with her honeymoon, and on later trips bringing each of her four children for long trips to visit their grandparents, and enjoy and learn about what made mom who she was. It was through these trips that she became an international smuggler of speck and other smoked delicacies, chocolate of many sorts, and other consumable contraband.
Over the years she enjoyed many hobbies, including reading, knitting, jigsaw and crossword puzzles, penny slots, and somehow almost always beating us in the boardgame Trouble. She also loved her garden and took pride in growing plants both inside and outside her home.
Hilde was preceded in death by her husband John, her two brothers, and her dear and longtime friend (and sister-in-law) Margot Huebner.
She is survived by her four children and their families (John and his wife Dorothy of Port Washington, Mary of Davenport IA, Mark and his wife Stacey of Arlington VA, Matthew and his wife Stacey of Centereach, and her four very much loved and loving grandchildren Olivia, Alex, Jennifer, and Jason)
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donating to the American Lung Association. Hilde was a smoker for most of her life but was smokefree for the last 10 years. Nonetheless, it greatly affected her quality of life, and she felt strongly that smoking was the contributing factor.
Calling hours will be held Thursday, February 23, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Lindenhurst Funeral Home, 424 S. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, NY 11757.
Services will be held on Friday, February 24, 10:00 a.m. at the Lindenhurst Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Calverton National Cemetery.
Hilde was born August 6, 1939, in Darmstadt, Germany, the daughter of Heinrich and Theresa Huebner. During her very early childhood, she experienced the hardships of WW2, and the family (including her brothers Manfred and Robert) was forced to relocate to the countryside, residing on a farm for several years. Once they were able to return to Darmstadt, Hilde attended school and graduated with the equivalent of a high school degree with a focus on business. She then apprenticed for several years in retail department stores in Darmstadt.
In 1959 she followed brother Manfred’s footsteps and immigrated to the United States, where she found employment in Lindenhurst at Recknagel’s, a popular local restaurant on the shore of the Great South Bay. This began what would be many years of employment in the dining services industry, which no doubt provided valuable skills in later caring for and nourishing her growing family. It was at Recknagel’s that she met John Maus, also of Lindenhurst, and they wed in 1961.
Residing in Lindenhurst her entire life, she raised four children, exhibiting strong devotion to her family, a stoic resolve, and a good sense of humor through the family’s good times and bad. Her expectations for decency, honesty, hard work, and always trying your best were silently communicated to her kids through her own consistent and caring actions. Through her example, her children learned to always do the right thing.
She made many trips back to Germany over the years, starting with her honeymoon, and on later trips bringing each of her four children for long trips to visit their grandparents, and enjoy and learn about what made mom who she was. It was through these trips that she became an international smuggler of speck and other smoked delicacies, chocolate of many sorts, and other consumable contraband.
Over the years she enjoyed many hobbies, including reading, knitting, jigsaw and crossword puzzles, penny slots, and somehow almost always beating us in the boardgame Trouble. She also loved her garden and took pride in growing plants both inside and outside her home.
Hilde was preceded in death by her husband John, her two brothers, and her dear and longtime friend (and sister-in-law) Margot Huebner.
She is survived by her four children and their families (John and his wife Dorothy of Port Washington, Mary of Davenport IA, Mark and his wife Stacey of Arlington VA, Matthew and his wife Stacey of Centereach, and her four very much loved and loving grandchildren Olivia, Alex, Jennifer, and Jason)
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donating to the American Lung Association. Hilde was a smoker for most of her life but was smokefree for the last 10 years. Nonetheless, it greatly affected her quality of life, and she felt strongly that smoking was the contributing factor.
Calling hours will be held Thursday, February 23, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Lindenhurst Funeral Home, 424 S. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, NY 11757.
Services will be held on Friday, February 24, 10:00 a.m. at the Lindenhurst Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Calverton National Cemetery.