Keith L. Hauswirth, 82, of Superior, passed away peacefully on Friday evening, October 30, 2026, at his residence.

Keith was born in Hancock, Michigan, on December 2, 1943, the second son of Lloyd and Pauline (Boretti) Hauswirth. He graduated from Hurley High School in 1961 and married his high school sweetheart, Mary Ellen Regina Johnson, on March 31, 1962. Together, they celebrated 64 years of marriage.

Keith proudly served his country in the United States Air Force from 1961 to 1965, including two years stationed in the Philippines. After completing his military service, he attended UW-Superior, where he earned a bachelor's degree in business, and worked for Lloyd Currie & Sons until the company closed. He then went on to obtain a second bachelor’s degree in social work while he worked as a counselor for the Seafarers Center.

During his time with the Seafarers Center, Keith developed friendships with many international maritime crews; some of which he would openly welcome to his home and remain in contact with throughout his life.

Keith will be most remembered for his unwavering commitment to child welfare and protection, a field in which he excelled professionally for decades. He served as Program Director of the Lutheran Social Services Lake Superior Group Home for Teenagers before becoming a Child Protection Social Worker with Carlton County Public Health and Human Services. Throughout his career, he made life-changing differences in the lives of countless children and families who never forgot his compassion, guidance, and advocacy.

In recognition of his extraordinary dedication, Keith received the 2023 Exemplary Worker Award from the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare, State of Minnesota, just months before retiring in September 2023 at the age of 79.

Keith enjoyed taking regular walks and meticulously caring for his lawn. Every Labor Day weekend, he looked forward to attending Italian Days in his hometown of Hurley with family members and especially enjoyed hearing his sons provide live music at Nora's. He was unbeatable at chess, always the first choice for a Trivial Pursuit team, and had a well-known fondness for vanilla ice cream cones, dining at Culver's, and spritz cookies at Christmas. He could often be ‘caught out’ eating the pizza crusts his grandchildren wouldn’t finish.

In his younger years, Keith played tennis and coached youth hockey for his sons and their community teams. A loyal Michigan Wolverines fan, he rarely missed a game on television. He was especially proud to watch his grandchildren participate in their sports and recreational activities, including his granddaughter Kenzie competing for THE Ohio State University Women's Hockey Team and celebrating two national championships.

Keith was preceded in death by his parents and his older brother, Dennis.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Mary; sons Scott Hauswirth of Superior, Michael (Dawn) Hauswirth of Farmington, Minnesota, Andrew (Meghan) Hauswirth of Superior, and Steven (Joey) Hauswirth of Foxboro; grandchildren Grant, Grady, Zachary, Zoe, McKenzie, Zane, and Zaron; and great-grandchildren Aimee, Kingston, and Dallas.

A visitation will be held on Friday, December 4, from 1:00 p.m. until the 2:00 p.m. memorial service at Downs Life Celebration Center, 1902 N. 34th Street, Superior. Military honors will be accorded by the Richard I. Bong American Legion Post No. 435.