Thomas Harry Haas

Born to Doris and Roger Haas on October 26, 1953 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota, Thomas “Tom” H. Haas would go on to spend the 72 years of his life doing what he loved most—spending time with his family, his friends, his coworkers, and his neighbors. Kind, warm, and easy to talk to, Tom lived his Catholic values out in the world, devoting the same energy and heart to volunteering at Feed My Starving Children through his church, St. John Vianney, and his grandson’s grade school, as he did walking his neighborhood, building community with his neighbors the Old Fashioned way: through conversation.

Tom enjoyed reading, hunting deer and pronghorn antelope, bicycling, traveling, and taking care of his home (first in Highland Park, then in South Saint Paul). He took tremendous pride in his house, his work, his volunteering, and his community. But above all, he loved being with his wife, Nancy, his son, Paul, his daughter-in-law, Kelaine, and his grandson, August. Family was at the heart of his pride, his passion, and his pleasure in life.

Married on June 26, 1976 at the Church of St. Mark in Saint Paul, Tom and Nancy filled their lives together with simple adventures, ranging from regular appearances at the St. Paul Bike Classic and casting reels at their cabin, to the occasional fancy dinner at Forepaughs and annual road trips to their favorite region: the great plains of the Dakotas and Wyoming. Tom loved being a dad to Paul, from the early years of playing catch, going fishing, and watching movies together, to the later years of home- and vehicle-maintenance. As a doting grandfather, he delighted in his time with August every Thursday, when they would fish, tend to their tomatoes in Nancy’s garden, and swap stories.  

Tom’s Saint Paul Catholic roots were deep and strong. The second oldest of 9 in a Catholic family, Tom adored and was adored by his parents, his siblings and, over time, his dozens of cousins, nieces, and nephews. As a kid, Tom helped care for his younger siblings while he attended St. Mark’s Elementary, followed by Cretin High School, during which he picked up the guitar (Gibson SG, red) that he would play his whole life, and made a little pocket change working at Midway Hospital.

Tom never stopped learning. After high school he went on to get his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Minnesota and his Masters Degree in Vocational Rehabilitation from the University of Wisconsin Stout. He spent a third of his life working in pharmaceutical sales at GSK, where he received numerous awards and accolades from clients and colleagues alike for going “above and beyond.” After 25 years, he passed his Series 7 (on his first try) and made a career change to Ameriprise Financial, where similar awards and accolades followed. He credited his father for his work ethic, which combined skill, thought, dedication, and heart. He retired in 2022.

Tom died at the age of 72 on December 6, 2025, surrounded by his family. He is preceded in death by his parents, Roger and Doris, and brothers, Richard and Lawrence. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, his son and daughter-in-law, Paul and Kelaine, his grandson, August, and his siblings, Roger (Karen), Paul (Claudia), Rita (Tom) Glynn, Margaret (Steve) Towle, John (Liza), and Mary (Bill) Leinberger.

in lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in Tom's name to Feed My Starving Children www.fmsc.org/