Gloria Grace Lawent

We were graced with the news of the gift of new life on February 11th, 2025. God created a tiny little child, found us worthy once again of being parents. On the ultrasound we saw and heard a little heart beating, an incredible sight, our eyes in wonder and our minds in awe. Tears flowed as we joyfully contemplated the beautiful creation of God’s hands. The baby moved around and we laughed as we noticed our little peanut was upside down! Hand over belly, we prayed for our baby, Jeremiah 29:11 - “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you, to give you a hope and a future”. As the days passed along, our baby grew little by little and the next ultrasound showed the baby's facial features; eyes, nose, and mouth. They were so tiny and so perfect. How does God do that? It’s a beautiful mystery. Shortly thereafter, news came that the heartbeat could no longer be found. We prayed for healing but it did not come. Our little baby was taken home to Heaven, with the angels and saints, on March 20th, 2025. We prayed to God to reveal to us the gender and we were provided another gift, “the baby is a girl”. We named her Gloria Grace.

Many things we experience on this earth are a complete mystery. God's plans are so great, they are hard to contemplate. The children we receive are ours to care for but they are never ours to keep. Although we did not have much time with her here on earth, we will be able to spend trillions and trillions of years with her in eternal joy in Heaven together, which makes any temporary sufferings the Lord calls us to that much more worth it. There is no love without sacrifice and there is no salvation without the cross.

God creates each of us to be in relationship with Him. We find our purpose when we say “yes” to that relationship. As Gloria stands in the presence of the King of the Universe, Jesus Christ, she is willing and available to intercede for us. Please pray for her to guide you through each day, bringing you closer and closer to Jesus and your heavenly home.

Gloria Grace joins her brothers, Damion Michael and Joey Theo John, and her sister, Julia Rose, in eternal peace, as well as her Grandmothers, Diane Kelm and Deborah Lawent. She is survived by her brother, Devan Lawent, and her parents, Rick and Debra Lawent.

A funeral Mass will take place at Saint Pius X Catholic Church, 500 W Marquette Street, Appleton, WI on Tuesday, April 22nd, at 11:30am. A small gathering of family and friends will take place prior to the start of Mass, from 10:30-11:30am. A burial at Saint Stanislaus Catholic Cemetery in Berlin, WI, will take place following Mass, at 2:00pm.

Rick and Debra would like to thank Dr. Madeleine Guevara, Nurse Katherine, Nurse Susanne, and the staff at Saint Gianna Clinic in DePere, WI, as well as Nurse Alivia and the staff at Smith Pharmacy in Little Chute, WI for the compassionate care Debra and Gloria received during the pregnancy. They would also like to thank Wichmann Funeral Home in Menasha and Appleton, WI, for taking such loving care of Gloria Grace.