Obituaries

Madison-

Dolores Stella Kessenich Haas, 95, of Madison, died peacefully in her sleep on January 15, 2024. Dolores was married to Allen Herman Haas.

She was born on July 8, 1928, in Madison, the daughter of Herman F. and Olive A. Kessenich. She grew up in the shadows of Camp Randall and was an avid Badgers fan. Dolores attended Edgewood High School. She earned a degree in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she met her husband Allen in a marketing class. They were married on July 15, 1950, which led to six children and 66 years of life together. They were longtime residents in Orchard Ridge and members of St. Maria Goretti parish.

At an early age, Dolores began working at Kessenich’s, a family-owned food service equipment and supplies company founded by her father Herman Kessenich in 1929. After her father retired, she co-owned Kessenich’s LTD with her brother Robert. Dolores retired in 2008 at the age of 80.

Her community activities included many years with the Madison Jaycettes. As President she once brought Captain Kangaroo to Madison. She also was instrumental in organizing many Jaycettes annual fashion shows. Other community activities included roles as President of the Altar Society and teaching religion classes at St. Maria Goretti, being a Boy Scouts Cub den mother and Girl Scouts Brownie leader and driving patients to cancer treatments.

She was a fantastic baker making family favorites for birthdays, holidays, and Packer games. She loved gardening and had extensive vegetable and flower gardens. Her gardens and home were populated with rabbit figurines (since Haas is German for “hare”) and her clothing often featured rabbits too. She also liked sewing and needlework. She loved playing bridge and delighted in hosting dinner and cocktail parties with friends. Dolores also enjoyed jigsaw puzzles and was enthusiastic about crossword puzzles and other word games. She was quick to solve puzzles on “Wheel of Fortune” - which she continued doing up until her passing. She also enjoyed watching the Badgers, Packers, and Brewers on TV in colorful Wisconsin gear. Dolores and Allen loved traveling the U.S. and overseas, especially their annual trip to Florida.

Dolores was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great- grandmother who set the example of being compassionate and loving to each other – and to simply enjoy each day that we have together. She is survived by her 6 children: Karen Haas (Pam Hammond) in Greenville, NC; Richard (Kathi) in Scottsdale, AZ; Bruce (Gary Sharp) in Knoxville, TN; Cheri Martin (Steve) in Watertown; Randy (Ann) in Seattle, WA; and Brian (Mary) in San Jose CA; 9 grandchildren, and 11 great grandchildren. Dolores was predeceased by her husband Allen Haas; brother Robert W. Kessenich; and parents Olive A. and Herman F. Kessenich.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 4, 2024 at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church, 5313 Flad Avenue. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. on Saturday at the church. Interment will follow at Resurrection Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Dolores’s memory be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

To view and sign this guestbook, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com.