In Memoriam: Naomi Haas (1919-2011)

Naomi Haas

On Palm Sunday, April 17th, Naomi Haas went home to be with the God she loved so much. Naomi was one of the longest serving members of Grace having joined the church on June 5, 1958.

Hal and Karen asked to share their favorite Naomi memories. If you have a memory of Naomi or a story you’d like to tell please send it to the church office at office@gracelutheran-houston.org or post it to the comments section below. We’ll collect the stories and put them up on the website.

Naomi Haas loved to tell me, pretty much every year of the fourteen years I knew her, how old she was and when her birthday was (October 7). She loved the “good” hymns - you know, the TRADITIONAL ones. She always sat in the same pew, at the same spot on the pew. In later years, as she approached her 90-year mark, she would say forebodingly, “I won’t live past 90.” Of course she did, making it over 91.5 years. Naomi was one of my pillars at Grace Lutheran. She was a stalwart, a tree with long roots, she was in love with life and celebrating life. I will miss her (especially her home-made lemon cookies), but I know she’s looking down on us, wondering who will take her seat in church. Perhaps I will.

-- Hal

For a dozen years or so I was a frequent transporter of Grace's LOL's (as my ex referred to the "little old ladies") - Edna, Isabel, Verna, Margaret and Elma, Dorothy and Naomi. It was my great pleasure to spend time with them and to haul them around. As you all know, Naomi never learned to drive.......but that didn't stop her from telling ME how to drive! I learned pretty quickly that taking the route Naomi preferred made life simpler. Naomi was always ready on time, often waiting outside for my arrival; I never had to wait on her. And she was adamant upon reimbursing me for gasoline so finally I told her that every last dollar she stuffed in my purse was going in Grace's offering plate. Naomi was one of a kind, a truly loving person, and I will miss her.

-- Karen