Obituary of Mary L Hallwyler

Mary Lou Hallwyler (Groce) of Milwaukie, Oregon entered eternal rest on November 5th, 2021, at the age of 92, bearing a kind and generous heart from her first day until her last. Mary was born on May 20th, 1929, in Springdale, Oregon, and grew up in the gas station owned and operated by her parents, Clyde and Bertha Groce. A “strong country girl,” Mary enjoyed this small-town, tight-knit upbringing until meeting the love of her life, Robert “Bob” Hallwyler, who she married in 1948. In her 58 years of marriage to Bob, Mary raised three children in their home on the Willamette River, in which several generations of her family enjoyed years of celebration and solace. Mary was a compassionate, patient soul who always saw the best in people and had a seemingly endless capacity for grace, a grace born of the quiet faith she held tightly through all her days. She saw light in darkness and found beauty in struggle, as shown through her sense of humor and expressed through her artistic and creative talent. She adored her family and constantly supported and encouraged them through their endeavors, and she always knew how to make someone feel special. She taught these values in the best way possible: by demonstrating them through her daily action and word, and these lessons will be missed deeply and remembered always. Mary Lou is preceded in passing by her husband, Robert, her parents, Clyde and Bertha Groce, her brother, Thomas Groce, and her son, Frederick Hallwyler. She is survived by her daughter Wendy Myers (Terry) and son, Richard Hallwyler (Sheri); sister-in-law Karen Eason; grandchildren Danielle, Matthew, Jessica, and Alexander; great-grandchildren Lilly, AJ, Nate, Carter, and Coraline; and nieces and nephews Michelle, Gail, Jackie, Kris, and Scott. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.