Sara Haas

A Celebration of Life for Sara Nelson Haas, 81, of Lufkin will be held Saturday, May 30, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. in the Carroway Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Cindy Doran officiating. Interment will follow in the Garden of Memories Memorial Park.

Sara Nelson Haas was born August 5, 1938 in Lufkin, Texas to the late Winifred Taes Nelson and Howard E. Nelson, and died Friday, May 22, 2020 in a local hospital.

Mrs. Haas was a lifetime resident of Lufkin, Texas, and a graduate of Lufkin High School. She continued her education at Stephen F. Austin University and received her bachelor’s degree in education in 1959. She returned to college after her husband passed away and earned her master’s degree in Educator Administration. Mrs. Haas taught music at St. Cyprian’s Episcopal School during the late 1960’s and was active in the Texas Federation of Music. She left teaching to be a fulltime homemaker after the birth of her daughters. Mrs. Haas returned to teaching in 1975. She was an educator with the Lufkin Independent School District for 33 years and followed up in her “retirement” as the educator for the Angelina County Juvenile Detention Center. She also worked part-time with Gipson Funeral Home for over 28 years. Mrs. Haas was an avid reader and loved spending time at the Kurth Memorial Library as well as any bookstore. She played piano as needed for the Keltys United Methodist Church in Lufkin, Texas, and other special occasions.

Sara found great joy in all her grandchildren and was very active with her grandsons, Hank and Rich, after they moved to Lufkin in 2007. She was a fixture at all their school events, scouting events and was honored at the boys’ Eagle Ceremony in 2018, as one of their mentors. The addition of grands, Tatom and Jase, brought her smiles and fun times as well as a new name, Gammu. She thoroughly enjoyed their trips to Lufkin and spending holidays with them. She was a great source of strength to her daughters and was always ready and willing to help anyone she could. During the last years of her life, she would often be found at Pauline Ford’s house (her dear friend) having coffee outside.

She is survived by her daughters, Sally Haas and wife, Chrystal of McKinney, and Susan Budjenska Wallace and husband Barry, of Gladewater; grandchildren, Hank Budjenska, Richard Budjenska, Tatom Vega-Haas, and Jase Vega-Haas; nephews, Jay Benz of Fontana, Wisconsin and Brett Benz of Woodstock, Illinois; and cousins, George Mann, David Mann and wife Kelli, Doug Mann, Leah Stow and husband Tommy, and Michelle Mock and husband Garrett, all of the Waco area.

She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Richard Eugene Haas.

Pallbearers will be Jay Benz, Brett Benz, Hank Budjenska, Rich Budjenska, Stephen Abbott, and Tanner Livin.

Honorary pallbearers will be George Mann, David Mann, Doug Mann, Don Seelbach, Phil Huber, and Don Balch.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Kurth Memorial Library, 706 South Raguet, Lufkin, Texas, 75904 or Ellen Trout Zoo, c/o, City of Lufkin, P.O. Box 190, Lufkin, Texas 75902.

The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday evening at the funeral home.

Memories and condolences may be added, and live webcasting of the services may be viewed, at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.

Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.