Haas, Konstance "Konnie" (1924-2018)

HAAS, BAKKEN, ODEGAARD, JACOBSON, JERZAK, KAKTIS, HOWELL, SAILOR

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 7/26/2018 at 13:47:18

Konstance "Konnie" Haas
July 10, 1924 - June 25, 2018

Surrounded by loved her ones at the Good Samaritan Society in Albert Lea, Minnesota, Konstance “Konnie” Haas, 93, of Emmons, Minnesota, died on Monday, June 25, 2018.

The only child of Charles and Minnie (Odegaard) Bakken, Konnie was born on July 10, 1924, in Postville, Iowa. Shortly thereafter, her family moved to Silver Lake. Baptized and confirmed at the Silver Lake Lutheran Church, she attended Silver Lake country school before moving to Emmons, Minnesota, to complete her high school education and graduate in 1942.

Konnie married Arthur Haas on March 14, 1942, in Emmons, Minnesota. Because Arthur was serving in the US Navy during the World War II, she moved to his base in Charleston South Carolina. After the War ended, they moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota. They lived there two years before moving back to Emmons, Minnesota. Before moving to Albert Lea, Konnie lived in Emmons in the same house for almost sixty years.

A Cub Scout leader as well as a Brownie and Girl Scout leader, Konnie, also, taught Sunday school. During World War II, she worked for the USDA at the Wilson Packing Plant in Albert Lea. In addition, she worked at Walker-Deluxe-Fleetguard-Cummins Manufacturing in Lake Mills, Iowa, as a production line foreman before retiring in 1983. She, always, said she liked being retired longer than she worked.

Interested in antiques, Konnie would often attend area auctions. An active genealogist, she served as the go-to person not only for our family history but for those of many other local families as well. A fifth generation Norwegian/American, she spoke Norwegian before she had to learn English in school. As a result of the first World War, the Iowa governor made speaking Norwegian or any other foreign language in school illegal.

Konnie was one of the few still left who knew almost all of the children of those early immigrants who came from Norway in the 1860s. After she retired, she was very excited to have been able to visit Norway. She, also, was extremely proud of having participated in a language study at the University of Oslo. Two professors from the university videoed her for their archives. They said listening to her speak Norwegian was like listening to a history book because her dialect was so old.

Konnie is survived by her children, Thomas (Nancy) Haas and Rebecca (Steve Peterson) Jacobson; her grandchildren: Heidi Haas-Jerzak, Nancy (Dave) Kaktis, and Christopher (JoAnna) Howell; her great-grandchildren Linnea Sailor, Bryan Sailor, Taylor Howell, Lindsey Sailor, Anna Kaktis, Thomas Kaktis , Sarah Howell and Rachel Jerzak. Preceded in death by husband Arthur Haas 1987.

A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, July 14, 2018, at Sliver Lake Lutheran Church, 705 Silver Lake Road, Northwood, Iowa 50459, with Pastor Randy Baldwin officiating. Family will greet friends and relatives from 1:00 until 2:00 PM before the service. Per Konnie’s wishes, her body was cremated and inurnment will take place in the Silver Lake Cemetery following the service. The family suggests that memorials go to the Silver Lake Lutheran Church Cemetery Fund or to a charity of the donor’s choice. The Mittelstadt Funeral Home, 902 East Main Street, Lake Mills, Iowa 50450, is in charge of the arrangements.

Mittelstadt Funeral Home, Lake Mills, Iowa, 2018.

Winnebago Obituaries maintained by Cheryl Siebrass.
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