Rosemary (Mussman) Haas (1929-2018)

MUSSMAN, HAAS

Posted By: Kenneth Wright (email)
Date: 10/31/2018 at 13:20:26

Rosemary (Mussmann) Haas, age 89, of Dubuque, was called home peacefully at 8:45 p.m., on Monday, October 29, 2018, at Luther Manor Grand Meadows, surrounded by her loving family. To honor Rosemary's life, funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, November 3, 2018, at Holy Spirit Parish, Holy Ghost Church, 2921 Central Avenue, with Rev. Dwayne J. Thoman officiating. To celebrate Rosemary's life, family and friends may visit from 9:00 a.m., until the time of services at 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, November 3, 2018, at Holy Spirit Parish, Holy Ghost Church. Burial will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery. Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street, is in charge of arrangements.

Rosemary was born on April 1, 1929, in Springbrook, Iowa, daughter of Albert and Rosina (Gerlach) Mussmann.

Rosemary was raised in the Springbrook area, where she attended classes in a one room school house, before proudly going on to graduate from Bellevue High School. In her teens, Rosemary was adventurous enough to go on a blind date, and fortunately, the handsome young man, Wilbert "Bill" Haas turned out to be her soulmate. The two were united in marriage on June 18, 1949, in Dubuque, and were blessed with 64 wonderful years together, and her loving children, before Bill was sadly called home ahead of her on September 12, 2013. Rosemary was employed as a bookkeeper at Crescent Electric for a few years, but once the children were born, she fully embraced her role as a full time wife, mother and homemaker. After the children were raised and off on their own, she happily went back to bookkeeping with Anything Groes for several years until her retirement. Rosemary was always full of life and surprises, and was thrilled when she attained her drivers license at the tender young age of 58. She was always a very active woman, and in her free time, Rosemary liked to indulge in a little retail therapy, ride her bike, or head out to Dubuque Greyhound Park to watch the dogs race. She was well known for participating in a spirited game of Euchre, keeping track of her almost 10,000 games of Cribbage with Bill, hitting the lanes shooting for a perfect 300, or scouring magazines until she found her next perfect DIY project to incorporate into her home design. She and Bill loved spending time together, and looked forward to traveling the country to attend his Army reunions, as well as spending a night out on the town, "cutting a rug", to the music of Gary's band, "Old Man River". She was an avid sports fans who was known to watch Iowa Hawkeye Basketball, but everyone was well aware that nothing stopped she and Bill from watching their beloved Cubbies play. Spending time with her family always brought the greatest joy to Rosemary's days, and some of her favorite trips were heading over to Wrigley Field with the family for an afternoon of fun at the ballpark. She was an excellent cook who will always be remembered for the delicious dishes she made and the canned pears grown in her yard. Occasionally, she would take a break from her busy activities to watch her favorite game show or quietly stare out the window at the birds gathering at the feeder Bill had so painstakingly made for her. Rosemary's faith was also an important aspect of her daily life and she was a long-time member of Holy Ghost Church. Rosemary was truly one of a kind, she never had an unkind word for anyone, and her loving and compassionate nature were beyond measure. Our hearts are broken today as we miss our dear, sweet mom, grandma, great-grandma and sister, but thankfully we have collected countless memories throughout the years to cherish until we are all one day reunited in our Heavenly home.

Those left to cherish Rosemary's memory include

her children,
Gary (Annette) Haas, Dubuque, IA,
Pam (Steve) Hiatt, Asbury, IA
and Kathy (Pat) Chamberlain, Rochester, MN;

her 4 granddaughters,
Julia Haas, Rachel (Brad) Klein, Chelsea (Ryan) Fulton and Tessa (Brandon Horn) Hiatt;

her 9 great-grandchildren;

and her sister,
Anna Mae (Hubert) Sims, Phoenix, AZ.

Rosemary was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Wilbert "Bill" Haas; a daughter in infancy, Patricia Ann Haas; and a son, Tom Haas.

Rosemary's family would like to thank the outstanding staff of Luther Manor Grand Meadow and Hospice of Dubuque, their care of Rosemary and her entire family is appreciated more than you will ever realize.

Memorials will be accepted by the family to be distributed among Rosemary's favorite charities.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.behrfuneralhome.com