Bernice Edwina Haws

1933 - 2025

Bernice Edwina Haws
Born: July 15, 1933 in Fort Collins, CO
Died: September 26, 2025 in Masonville, CO
Bernice "Mickey" Haws, 92, passed away September 26, 2025 in Laporte, Colorado, at the home of her daughter Sherry, where she had resided since 2019, surrounded by her family.
Bernice was born into the sunshine of Alabama on July 15, 1933, to Lillian and Edward McKinney. She talked of barefoot adventures catching crawdads and cooking them in a coffee can over an open fire in the woods with her brother, fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, climbing trees to hide in, and picking wild grapes to eat until her tummy hurt.
She met and married James K. Haws when she was 16, and together, they moved to Illinois and raised a family. Bernice and James had five children: Sharon "Sherry", Linda, Cindy, Kim, and "Jim" (James). She was a homemaker, small farm operator, restaurant owner, foster mom, grandma, great grandma, and great great grandma. Bernice loved gardening, crocheting, fishing, and raising farm animals. She had a deep love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, and when she was no longer able to do things physically, she spent her time praying for others.
Bernice was preceded in death by her parents, William Edward McKinney and Lillian Dempsey McKinney; her sisters, Deloras and Elizabeth; her brothers, William, Joseph, Donald, and Edward "Pop"; her husband, James K. Haws Sr; her sons, James K. Haws, Jr, and Kim Haws; her daughter, Linda Haws Gregory; and her granddaughter, Jessica Haws.
She is survived by her daughters, Sherry Holbrook (Jim Crenner) and Cindy Haws; as well as her grandchildren: Stephanie Conkling Shrimp (Mike), William Conkling (Kyla), Melanie Boston, April Phillips, Ashley Phillips, James Phillips, Nathan Phillips (Carissa), Cadance Whitley (Aaron), Amy Barkhurst (Scott), Danielle Szleszinski Higgens, David Szleszinski (Roxanna), Cathy Szleszkinski, Connor Holbrook, Shane Holbrook, Kim Haws, Jr, Kyle Haws, Charlotte Haws, Zack Haws, and J. Kenneth Haws; and her great grandchildren: Anthony Syracuse, Victoria Syracuse, Lillyanna Fancher (Cameron), Alyssa Stephenson, Shay Goss, Abrial Higgins, Hanna Fisher, Easton Fisher, William "Liam" Conkling IV, Charles Conkling, McKensey Szleszinski, Aria Vasquez, Zain Phillips, Jasper Phillips, Mariamia Phillips, Orianna Whitley, Gretta Whitley, Jory Comer, Destiny Santoro, Noah Szleszinski, Scott Parker Szleszinski, TJ Haws, Mason Haws, Emerson Haws, and Nova Eugene Bolan. She is also survived by her great great grandchildren:Eva Keck, Sawyer Syracuse, Willian Syracuse, Mateo Syracuse, and Killian Fancher; as well as multiple nieces and nephews.
The family invites Bernice's community to a visitation at 10:00am on Saturday November 15, 2025, at St. Mary Catholic Church, 220 E 2nd St, Byron, IL 61010. Mass will begin at 11:00am, with a reception at the church to follow, and internment at Calvary Catholic Cemetery, 8616 W State Rd, Winnebago, IL 61088.