Brigitte Hackwith

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Brigitte Klara Hackwith was reunited with the love of her life, Don, on April 7th, 2024.  She passed peacefully, at the Peace Hospice House in Great Falls, surrounded by loved ones.

Brigitte was born on October 3, 1935 to Thomas and Martha (Grabowski) Bayer in pre-war Furstenau, Germany.  She was raised on a farm with her 6 siblings and her beloved German Shepherd, until the family was forced to flee due to the war in 1943.  Her eldest sister kept the siblings together, until the family was fully reunited 1947, settling in West Germany.  Brigitte finished her schooling and went to work as a waitress in a local Pub in Ramstein, Germany.  It was there that she met the love of her life, Donald Hackwith, who was serving in the United States Air Force, in 1962.  Brigitte and Don were married on December 22, 1962 and made their way to Great Falls in 1963.  One of Brigitte’s proudest accomplishments was becoming a United States citizen and becoming fluent in the English language.  In November of 1967 their daughter Diana was born.  Don left for Vietnam in July of 1968. For the year that he was gone, Brigitte kept her new family safe and was very proud of her role as a service military wife.  Upon Don’s return, they bought their first, and only, house in Great Falls.  In December of 1972 their son John was born.  In June of 1973 Brigitte was given the opportunity to return to her homeland, when the Air Force took the family to Germany until 1982.  Don and Brigitte spent their remaining years in Great Falls.  They were married for 54 years, until Don’s passing in 2016.

Brigitte’s greatest joy was caring for her family.  She prepared amazing meals for her family every day, including the best German food.  She always had freshly baked treats for her kids when they got home from school.  Her layered brownies and chocolate chip pound cake were the best!  There were many years when she prepared two Thanksgiving dinners.  One for the family and one for Don to take to his buddies in hunting camp.  Brigitte had a very creative side to her.  She was a fantastic seamstress, sewing many evening gowns that she wore to Military and Masonic functions that she attended with Don. She taught herself to crochet and knit and made the most amazing afghans, table cloths, bed spreads, doilies and sweaters.  Her knitted dish cloths were the envy of everyone that was fortunate enough to have them!  Brigitte loved to fish and go camping with her family.  She loved to play bingo and keno and went on many bingo and gambling excursions with her dear friends and was always very lucky!  Although born in Germany, she considered Great Falls and Montana her home.  She spoke frequently of being very fortunate to experience a life that Germany would not have afforded her.

Brigitte is preceded in death by her husband Don, her parents Thomas and Martha, her siblings Margareta Rau, Maria Rieger, Anna Gal, Paul Bayer, Bernard Bayer and Elizabeth Grahl and their spouses, and her beloved black lab, Duke.

Brigitte is survived by her daughter and son in law Diana and Tom Volk, her son John, and many nieces and nephews.

In her final days, Brigitte longed to be with her Schatz (sweetheart) Don.  She will always be remembered for her thick German accent, her kind, giving nature and devotion to those she loved, and her impeccable appearance-she always had her makeup on, not a hair out of place and wore the most beautiful handmade sweaters.

A Memorial Service is being held in the Rose Room Chapel at Croxford Funeral Home on Friday, April 19th, 2024 at 11:00 am.  Interment at Highland Cemetery and a reception will follow.

The family would like to send their sincerest gratitude to the remarkable staff at Benefis Home Hospice Care and Benefis Peace Hospice House for their incredible care and immense compassion.  In lieu of flowers please send donations to Benefis Peace Hospice or the Great Falls Community Food Bank.

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