Esther was born June 24, 1933 to Alexander and Anna Pankratz in Lustre, Montana. The family moved to Mountain Lake, MN, where she would call home.
Esther graduated from Mountain Lake Sr. High and went on to graduate from Northwestern Bible College in Minneapolis. Thereafter, she moved to Seattle, Washington to join her two sisters, Lilian and Violet, and worked as a waitress. She moved back to Minneapolis and began waitressing at the Belaire Cafe, which is where she met Elmer, and got her first Harley ride. They were married December 29th, 1961, and were blessed with five children ("Everyone needs a Dan in their Life"). They lived in Spring Lake Park until 1965 when their home was destroyed by a tornado, then rebuilt and settled in Andover.
Esther's faith in Jesus started early on and has been evident throughout her life. If you knew her, you were loved and prayed for. She enjoyed many treasured years working at the Billy Graham Office in Minneapolis, and coordinated many of his nationwide crusades. She has had many interesting jobs, including waitressing, donut making, factory manufacturing jobs, court house duties, catering, and travel agent, which led her into a world of adventure.
She spent winters in Florida, her second home, with her son, Dan. She loved the beaches, friends, and family that she met there. She was involved at the church there in Florida, and coordinated the Strawberry Festival every year.
Esther loved a good joke, and she was always witty and quick with her own comebacks. She enjoyed knitting, quilting, bible studies, and church choir. She spent many days at Camp Lebanon, both quilting and enjoying Senior Day. She enjoyed birthday lunches with her treasured friends. She was always taking care of others, especially widows, through food, prayer, encouragement, and acts of service. Her most cherished gift was her family. She coordinated many Pankratz reunions full of activities and laughter, which we will always remember.
Esther's legacy will live on through her loving husband of 59 years, Elmer Haas; children, Randy Haas, Ron (Dawn) Haas, Jack Haas, Jill Haehn, and Dan Haas; grandchildren, Jake and John Haas, Alyse (Juan) Haas, Madeline (Matthew) Faul, Caroline and Rachel Haas, Kyle and Kayla Haas, Abby, Andy, Bethany, and Anna Haehn; great-grandchildren, Jack Z. Haas, Russell, Walter, and Georgia Faul, and Rocio Ortiz; and many extended family members and close friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Alexander and Anna; and six siblings.
Please join us to Celebrate Esther's Life on Friday, September 3rd, at Meadow Creek Church, 3037 Bunker Lake Blvd NW, Andover, MN, 55304. Visitation will be held from 8:30-10 am, service at 10 am with lunch to follow, and burial at 12:45 pm at Morningside Memorial Gardens, 11800 University Ave NW, Coon Rapids.
Memorials are preferred to one of the following :
Camp Lebanon - please donate online at http://camplebanon.org/donate/ or mail to 1205 Acorn Road, Burtrum, MN, 56318
Prison Fellowship - please donate online at https://bit.ly/3BL71ez or mail your donations to Prison Fellowship, PO Box 1550, Merrifield, VA 22116-1550
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association - http://billygraham.org/give/give-online/ or mail checks directly to: 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28201.
Fond memories, photos and expressions of sympathy may be shared below for the Haas family.
