CLEVELAND, December 21 — For BLET General Chairman Russell C. Haas, 86, of La Crosse died Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2007, at his home surrounded by his loving family.
Brother Haas was General Chairman for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy General Committee, which later merged to become part of the current Burlington Northern-North Lines General Committee. He was a member of BLET Division 13 in LaCrosse, Wisc.
He was born in La Crosse on Jan. 19, 1921, to Clemens and Emma (Freismuth) Haas, and attended schools in La Crosse. Russell served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Anchorage, Alaska, during World War II until his discharge in 1945.
On Nov. 17, 1946, he married Margaret Sarner in Galena, Ill. Russell worked for the Burlington Northern Railroad as a fireman and later locomotive engineer from 1946 until his retirement in 1982. He served as Local Chairman of Division 13 and later General Chairman for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
Russell enjoyed playing golf, fishing, woodworking, bowling, gardening and was especially proud of his yard work, having twice received the yard of the year award in Onalaska, Wis., when a resident there. He also loved to play cards with neighbors and good friends, along with spending time with family, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In addition to his wife Margaret, he is survived by two daughters, Paula (Jim) Bantle of Onalaska and Sue (Steve) Anderson of New Glarus, Wis.; six grandchildren, Rusty (Sandra) Bantle, Jenifer (Greg) Bantle-Felt, Melissa (Brian) Summerfield, Jason (Candie) Anderson, Brian Anderson and Michael Anderson; 10 great-grandchildren; a sister, Evelyn Coughlin of La Crosse; two brothers, Robert (Betty) Haas of Holmen, Wis., and Jim Haas of La Crosse; a sister-in-law, Mary Mitchell of Ripon, Wis.; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Russ who died in Vietnam in 1968; a daughter, Mary Beth in 1978; two brothers and a sister-in-law, Leonard (Blanche) Haas and Donald Haas; and a sister, Jeanette Padesky.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 21, at Mary, Mother of the Church Parish at St. Thomas More Catholic Church. The Rev. David Kunz will officiate. Burial will follow in Catholic Cemetery, La Crosse. Friends and family may call from 8:45 a.m. until the time of services Friday at the church. In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to the Gundersen-Lutheran Hospice Program.
Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home of La Crosse is assisting the family.