Beatrice “Bea” Haas

Beatrice “Bea” Haas, nee Biver, 93, of Belleville, IL, born March 18, 1927, in Belleville, IL, died Sunday, October 25, 2020, at Mar-Ka Nursing Home, Mascoutah, IL.

Mrs. Haas was a longtime, faithful member of St. Mary Catholic Church, Belleville, IL, where she served as a lector.  She was a woman of strong faith and believed in the power of prayer.  She loved her faith, her family, and her friends.  Bea was a proud graduate of the Academy of Notre Dame, Class of 1945.  She served as secretary at Cathedral High School and Althoff Catholic High School for 18 years, followed by working as parish secretary of St. Mary Catholic Church, Belleville, IL, for 17 years.

After retirement, Bea enjoyed time spent with her family, and a glass of wine with family and friends.  She enjoyed many years of traveling with her husband, LeRoy.  She also loved bowling, traveling with friends, stitching, reading, baking cookies and pies, and playing cards.  She was a volunteer for Hospice of Southern Illinois, the American Red Cross, and Meals on Wheels.  Bea was a reader to the blind with Mind’s Eye at the Shrine every Monday for 21 years.  Bea and LeRoy were members of a Marriage Encounter team and a Pre-Cana team, and Bea was a member of the Daughters of Isabella.

She was preceded in death by her husband, LeRoy Peter Haas, whom she married April 22, 1947, at St. Mary Catholic Church, and who died January 18, 2005; her parents, Frank and Fannie, nee Loyet, Biver, three sisters, her identical twin, Bernice Schoen, Helen Biver, and Sr. Marie Francis Biver, SSND; two brothers, Cletus (Catherine) Biver, and Leon (Jerry) Biver; six brothers-in-law, Louis Oehler, Harold Schoen, Bernard Geolat, Bob Buehler, Rev. Melvin Haas, and Rev. Ralph Haas; one sister-in-law, Virginia Clark; five nephews, George Biver, James Oehler, Robert Oehler, George L. Hasenstab, and Rick Schoen; and one niece, Joan Biver Ott.

Surviving are her three children, Dan (Jackie) Haas of Houston, TX, John (Brenda Switzer, DDS) Haas of St. Louis, MO, and Carol (Stanley) Phillips of Smithton, IL; three grandchildren, Miranda Wright-Kauffmann of Lebanon, IL, Meghan (Erik) Leibas of San Antonio, TX, and Hannah Haas of Houston, TX; two step-grandchildren, Neil Phillips of St. Louis, MO, and Holly (Jarret) Randoll of Mascoutah, IL; four great-grandchildren, Natalie Kauffmann, Charlotte Kauffmann, Benjamin Leibas, and Barrett Leibas; one step-great-grandchild, Autumn Randoll; four sisters, Loretta Oehler of St. Louis, MO, Rita “Rodney” Buehler, Joan Geolat, and Alice (George) Hasenstab, all of Belleville, IL; and numerous nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made the Poor Clare Monastery, 300 North 60^th Street, Belleville, IL 62223, the Diocesan Seminarian Education Fund, 222 South 3^rd Street, Belleville, IL 62220, or in the form of masses.  Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.rennerfh.com.

Visitation:  Friends may visit from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, October 31, 2020, at George Renner & Sons Funeral Home, Belleville, IL.  Standard CDC guidelines, including masks and a limited number of visitors at any one time will be observed.

Funeral:  A private family Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Mary Catholic Church, Belleville, IL, with Fr. Christopher Anyanwu and Msgr. William McGhee concelebrating. Masks are required.

Burial will be in Mount Carmel Catholic Cemetery, Belleville, IL.