Dorothea Lousie Haas

Dorothea Louise Hunter Haas, a resident of Williamsburg since 1989, died on September 10, 2014 at age 98. Benjamin J. Haas, her husband of over 70 years, preceded her in death on July 26, 2014. Dorothea was born in Pittsburgh, PA on April 14, 1916 to Grant Stafford Hunter and Edna Katherine Menges Hunter and was educated at Pittsburgh's Langley High School, Allegheny College in Meadville, PA and Chatham University (then called Pennsylvania College of Women) in Pittsburgh, graduating in 1937. She was employed as a lab technician at Mellon Institute and Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh before meeting naval dental student Ben Haas on a blind date. They were married at First Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh in 1944. After living in Coeur d'Alene, ID and Waukegan, IL during her husband's wartime service as a US Navy dentist, she lived for the next forty years in Pittsburgh, where she served as a Girl Scout leader, Sunday school teacher and church choir member. She was a member of the Mt. Lebanon Women's Club and Bower Hill Community Church. In retirement, she and her husband lived in Long Boat Key, FL before moving to Williamsburg, where she was a member of Williamsburg Presbyterian Church, the Sir Christopher Wren Society and the Williamsburg Landing Singers. She greatly enjoyed travel throughout her life and visited China, India, much of Africa, Russia, South America, Asia and Europe. She often said her favorite activity was taking her grandchildren to Disney World. Mrs. Haas is survived by her two sons and their spouses, Lt. Col. (Ret) Michael Allan Haas, US Army and his wife Ruth of Williamsburg, and Gary Stafford Haas and his wife Ellen Kay of Plano, TX. She is also survived by three grandchildren, their spouses and three great-grandchildren: Emily Haas LaRue, husband Kevin, and daughter Cathleen of Plano, TX, Major Eric Hunter Haas, US Army, and wife Major Erica Loechl Haas, US Air Force, presently stationed in Hawaii and Jennifer Haas Spiegel, her husband Philip, and sons Lucas and Colin of Richmond. Dorothea was able to enjoy the gathering of family and friends for Ben's memorial service on July 31, 2014 and her inurnment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Williamsburg Presbyterian Church, 215 Richmond Rd, Williamsburg, VA 23185.