Herminia R. Vasquez of Whitewater, Wisconsin passed peacefully on November 26, 2019, surrounded by family and friends.
Herminia, or Minnie, as many people called her, was born in Laredo, Texas on July 19th, 1936 to migrant farmers Abraham and Elvita Rossell. She married her husband Eutimio Vasquez in 1958 and in 1959 they moved from Texas to Whitewater to build a new life in Wisconsin. Herminia at first was a stay at home mother, then worked at the Whitewater Foundry until she eventually found a permanent position at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater food service as a checker/cashier, where she retired after 30 years of dedicated service in 2012. Herminia loved her job at the University, especially the students who greeted her every day! She touched many students’ lives as she was the first face they would see in the morning prior to getting their breakfast. Always quick with a sweet smile and some funny comment, she was voted “favorite employee” many, many years in a row, not only from the company for which she worked, but campus wide! She was always very proud of that achievement! At the beginning of her retirement, she missed her job immensely but eventually settled in to be happy at home with her husband, either planning trips with her sister around the United States or going shopping or to the Casino on a whim. Minnie took pride in being an amazing cook, she loved plants and to landscape her yard but also took time on the weekends to watch her favorite sports teams: the Milwaukee Brewers, Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, as well as a good boxing match.
Herminia was a very strong, funny, and hardworking woman. She and her husband took great pride in being one of the first Latino Whitewater residents to build their very own home on the corner of E. North and Newcomb St. where they lived for over 35 years. She was a completely selfless wife, mother, and grandmother. She loved babysitting her grandkids and loved dogs. She lived her life to make her entire family happy at all times. She encouraged her children and grandchildren to get a good education and to work hard. Her wisdom and her ability to make us all laugh, will be forever missed!
She is survived by her siblings: brother Jesus (Maria Guadalupe) Rossell, Juana (Avelino) Rodriguez, Eustulio (Eva) Rossell, Maria (Juan) Ramos, Gloria (Donato) Rios, her children: Jose (Elizabeth) Vasquez, Yolanda (Daniel) Hollenbeck, Arturo (Lina) Vasquez, Gloria (Michael) Vasquez-Leemkuil, grandchildren: Vanessa and Alessandra Hollenbeck, Gabriela, Sebastian, and Gianna Vasquez. She was preceded in death by her husband Eutimio Santos Vasquez, and her mother and father: Abraham and Elvita Rossell as well as five half-siblings.
We would like to give an immense thank you to Agrace Hospice from Janesville as well as Saran Bathchuulun, John Hethorn, their daughters: Kima and Oka, caretakers: Urna, Sunny, and Nimka, and all the other wonderful, kind, sincere caregivers who made it possible for both our parents to live out the last days of their lives together with dignity and respect! We will be forever grateful for the care and kindness you bestowed upon our parents and our family.
Visitation will be at the St. Patrick’s Church in Whitewater, Wisconsin at 10 a.m. on Friday, December 6, 2019 with the funeral service following at noon. Herminia will be laid to rest following the funeral service at Hillside Cemetery alongside her husband in Whitewater.
Nitardy Funeral Home, Whitewater, Wisconsin is assisting the family with arrangements.
