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Shirley Jean (Roberts) Haas, age 87, died at Drew’s Place in Coldwater on Saturday, March 19, 2016 after a long illness. Shirley was born on December 5, 1928 to Mendon residents Leda (Cupp) Roberts and Louis Roberts. During her childhood Shirley lived in Zeeland ,MI and Gainesville, FL, but spent her summers with her grandparents, Norman and Alvie Cupp on their farm in Mendon. After WWII Shirley and her family returned to Mendon. She graduated Salutatorian from Mendon High School with the class of 1946 and attended Western Michigan University. In 1947 Shirley married Arthur Haas at St. Edward Catholic Church. Art and Shirley spent all of their married life in Mendon.
Shirley’s life in Mendon was one of community involvement and friendship. She was a substitute teacher at Mendon Schools, President of the St. Edward Catholic Church Altar Society, 4-H entomology leader, volunteer at the Mendon Food Cupboard, and served at the Diocese of Kalamazoo on the Peace and Justice Committee. She loved playing tennis and golf. She was an avid Notre Dame fan. She enjoyed travel, reading, quilting, and bridge, and was a member of the Mendon Bridge Club since 1951. She and her husband, Art enjoyed winters at Key Largo Ocean Resorts where Shirley was known as “The Tennis Lady”. Both she and Art enjoyed the multicultural nature of the park where Shirley taught many of the Cuban-Americans kids how to play tennis, helping to obtain rackets, and organizing tournaments for furthering their skills..
Shirley is survived by her daughters, Colleen (Haas) Kelley of Evanston, IL and Maureen (Haas) Hutchinson and her husband, John of Coldwater; six grandchildren, John (Sabina) Hutchinson of Cincinnati, OH, Kira (Kevin) Hutchinson-Beale of Louisville, KY, Peter (Helen) Kelly, Eli Kelly, Eamon (Lakshmi) Kelly, and Liam (Jackie) Kelly all of Evanston, IL; nine great-grandchildren. Also surviving are sisters in law, Joyce (Haas) Beebe and Jeannette Donnelly; brother in law, Carroll Haas; first cousins Phil (Maureen) Cupp, Maurice (Margean) Cupp, Mary (Roberts) Dannenberg, and Richard Roberts. Shirley leaves behind many beloved nieces and nephews, the larger extended Cupp and Haas families, as well as many friends whose lives she touched.
Those who went before her include her husband, Art Haas; two children who died at birth, Cecilia Ann and Thomas Martin Haas; her parents; her sister, Beverly (Roberts) Carey; her grandparents, Alvie May (White) and Norman Cupp and Jennie (Embley) and Carl Roberts, and granddaughter, Rosemary Hutchinson.
Visitation will be from 3:00 to 6:30 PM Tuesday at the Eickhoff Funeral Home in Mendon. The funeral mass will be 11:00 AM on Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at St. Edward Catholic Church with Rev. Jim Vinh Le officiating. Burial will be in St. Edward Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to either St. Edward Catholic Church or to the Mendon Community Schools Foundation. Condolences may be expressed online at www.eickhofffuneralhome.com
