Hermene Indig

Hermene Louise Indig [Guritz] died October 30, 2019, age 87, after a period of health problems. “I lost the dearest, sweetest person in my life. My love for Louise was all the years of our 61 year marriage, and I will love her forever.” - Maurice Indig Known in her early life as Hermene, and for most of her life as Louise, she was a longtime Fremont resident since 1971; since 2017 she lived at Aegis Assisted Living in South San Francisco, where she passed away peacefully. Hermene was born on November 13, 1931, to her parents Herman and Maggie Guritz, in Jackson, Minnesota. The 3rd of 4 sisters, she was raised in the small farming community amidst many relatives, and in an environment where everyone knew each other. In her teens and later, she enjoyed the movies, even writing to the stars at the movie studios, who sent pictures and letters, often personally signed, that are still in her scrap book. Showing an early love for adventure, she took a road trip from Minnesota to Florida and back, with her sister Ruth and special cousin Anita. In her early adult life, she found clerical work at Iowa State College not far across the state line at Ames. At a college dance social, she met Maurice Indig, and then began the romance and union of the Minnesota farm girl, and the Jewish city boy from Brooklyn. After courtship and marriage, Maurice found work in Anderson, Indiana. The couple lived there just long enough for it to be the birthplace of their two sons, Bob and Steve. The family moved to Schenectady, NY where Maurice began working for General Electric. As the family rode out the 1960s, Louise (as she was now known) relished her life as wife and mother. She supported her family in every way - she was a den mother to her Cub Scout boys, acted as navigator with fold out maps on family trips, made her husband’s bag lunch for work, and all the little things that keep a family happy and moving forward. When the boys learned to snow ski, so did she. When her husband travelled for work, she saw him off at the airport and was there to greet him on return without fail. She loved her family back in Minnesota, and many summers she took the boys for extended visits in the hot, humid weather, where they spent lazy days and evenings with family. Eventually, sunny California beckoned and the family moved to Fremont, California in 1971, with Maurice working in a new capacity for General Electric. Louise, of course, continued to love and support her family, living a kind of suburban ideal on Andorra Court, where she was friends with all the neighbors, and at the Mission Valley Swim Club. When Bob and then Steve began participating in high school track and cross-country, Louise was there to cheer them on. Louise loved discovering their new state of California - Yosemite and national parks, beaches of SoCal, even the peaceful Lake Elizabeth a short walk away from their house. As her sons finished high school, Louise was inspired to go back to work. She updated her business and accounting skills with classes at Ohlone College, and was hired in the accounting department at Fremont Unified School District. She had a new network of friends among her co-workers, and she was valued and admired for her work and easy going personality. Louise and Maurice broadened their travel activities beyond California, and as their work lives slowed down, they literally travelled the world, visiting every continent - yes, including Antarctica. Bob recently got Louise to name the countries she visited, and they got to 36. Louise loved nature, hiking, and new experiences. She was proud of her husband and sons, and was always present for important events: awards that Maurice received for his work and eventually his retirement dinner. Beaming mother of the groom when each of her sons married. And many more. Recent years brought health problems to Louise and her husband. Louise took on much of the caretaking role for Maurice, until it was soon her time to need help. After a fall in early 2017, she began residence at Aegis Assisted Living in South San Francisco. She received excellent care from the staff there, made new friends, and was visited constantly by Maurice, Bob, and Steve. Louise particularly appreciated her special friend at Aegis that she said looked after her like a mother, and coincidently had her mother’s name - Maggie. Everyone loved Louise, who was always cheerful with a sweet personality. She touched many, bringing joy and leaving a legacy of love that continue after her passing. As the holidays arrive soon, the homemade Christmas ornaments that she crafted over 50 years ago will come out again, another fond reminder of this wonderful woman. In addition to her husband and sons, she is survived by her sisters Ruth Anderson and Sandra Walton, her granddaughter Kai, her daughters-in-law Anna Suarez and Anna Indig, and many cousins, nieces, nephews, neighbors and friends. All are invited to services on Monday, November 4, 3pm, at Berge Pappas Smith Chapel of the Angels, 40842 Fremont Blvd. in Fremont. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Wounded Warrior Project or Planned Parenthood.