Born: Private
Died: June 27, 2013
Services: 11:30 a.m. on Monday, July 1, 2013 at the Koepsell Funeral Home, N7199 N Crystal Lake Road, Beaver Dam
Visitation: Monday from 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. at the funeral home
Emma (Penny) Haas passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 27, 2013 at Hillside Manor in Beaver Dam, WI,
at the age of 100.
Penny was born on the family farm near Kensal, North Dakota, around midnight on May 11, 1913 as Emma Louise Wolsky, the third of seven children of William & Anna (Felsentraeger) Wolsky. Not knowing the exact time of her birth, the family always celebrated her birthday on May 12th and it wasn’t until Penny was in her 60’s that she discovered her true birthdate!
Growing up on the farm she learned hard work at an early age. The kids all pitched in to milk the cows, churn butter and shock the grain… all by hand. They rode horses to school and relied on them to find their way back to the farm in blizzards. The farm had no running water or electricity and although times were tough the kids had great fun growing up and accumulated a lifetime of fond memories.
After high school, Penny yearned for life in the big city and naturally chose to head east to Beaver Dam where she entered nurses training at the Lutheran Deaconess Hospital. After earning her registered nursing degree, she continued on there as a surgical nurse as well as x-ray and lab technician.
During this time she met her husband-to-be, Duane Haas, and they married soon after on May 17, 1941. Duane’s military service took them to Truax field in Madison where Penny continued her nursing career at Madison General Hospital. Following the war, they returned to civilian life in Beaver Dam, where Penny joined the Hoyer Clinic and later Medical Associates, as their lead x-ray & lab technician.
About this same time, Duane’s photography hobby began turning into a part-time business. They were photographing more & more weddings and eventually began doing portraiture, too. Her darkroom experience proved valuable as she did much of the processing in the evenings in their home-studio.
In the 1960’s, Haas Studio had grown to the point where Penny decided to leave her nursing career and dedicate herself full-time to the photography business. Along the way she developed new artistic skills including the hand oil-coloring of portraits. This was an incredibility time-consuming process that meant lots of long hours late into the night. But she never complained; she knew what was needed and did it. In the mid-1970’s they sold the studio to their son, Gary, but continued to work with him for many years afterward. In fact Penny helped with behind-the-scenes efforts up until just a couple years ago.
Together with Duane, Penny enjoyed boating, fishing and RVing around the country. One of the highlights of their travels was an extended trip to Alaska & Canada while in their 80’s. In 2011, they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary prior to Duane’s death in November of that year. When Penny turned 100 in May, family and friends came from all over to help her celebrate. It was no doubt the last big highlight of her long, wonderful life.
Penny was a faithful member of First Evangelical Lutheran Church. Well into her 90’s, she enjoyed cutting squares of material for the quilt-makers at church. When she could no longer attend church regularly in person, she faithfully listened to the weekly radio broadcasts.
Penny was a very determined woman with strength and tenacity beyond her size. Her sometimes misunderstood fussiness was really more about seeing that things were done right. She was always looking for ways to make something better and had high expectations for both herself and others. Her doctor had to laugh during an appointment not long ago where she complained that she just didn’t have the energy she used to. He cautiously asked if this might possibly have anything to do with her being 100. Of course it didn’t…
Penny is survived by her son, Gary (Pam) of Beaver Dam, grandchildren Adam Haas and Lindsey (Zach) Uttech; step-son Dean (Jean) Haas of Le Sueur, MN, grandchildren Julie (Jim) Hoyt, Janelle (Bruce) Bardon, Alan (Angela) Haas, and ten great-grandchildren; Tyler (Morgan) Hoyt, Taryn Hoyt, Nicole (Robert) Lueck, Dan Bardon, Rachel Bardon, Shalynn Haas, Spencer Haas, Alana Haas, Chelsea Martin, Amanda Haas, her only remaining sibling, Lois (Jerry) Sorum and many special nieces and nephews.
Penny was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers William (Bill), Walter (Shorty), Ervin (Pete), sisters Anna and Lena (Connie Hobmeier) and her husband, Duane.
Mom, you will be sorely missed, yet we are so very thankful for the extended time we’ve been able to enjoy your company. I know you were at peace and ready to go when The Lord came for you. Have a wonderful journey, Mom, and may God’s peace travel with you…
Memorial service will be held on Monday, July 1, 2013 at the Koepsell Funeral Home, N7199 N Crystal Lake Road, Beaver Dam, WI. Visitation will be at 10:00 AM with memorial service at 11:30, followed by a luncheon. Interment will be at Highland Memory Gardens, Township of Trenton, at a later date.
Memorials: Memorials can be directed to the Radio Fund at First Evangelical Church, Beaver Dam.
Location: Koepsell-Murray Funeral Home- Beaver Dam (Map)
