Mary Jane Haas

Mary Jane Haas, 81, passed away peacefully on July 24, 2013 at Arleigh Burke Pavillion in McLean, Virginia. Born in Yonkers, New York in 1932, Mary Jane moved to Alexandria, Virginia as a child where she remained a life long resident. She was the daughter of Mary Elizabeth Duffy and William Raphael Farrell, an architect, and grew up in their home in Wilton Woods. After graduating valedictorian at St. Mary's Academy, she attended St. Mary's College in South Bend, Indiana where she met her husband of 61 years, George Arthur Haas, then a Ph.D physics student at the University of Notre Dame. They were married in 1951 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Old Town Alexandria and eventually built their own home in Wilton Woods where they raised their four children. Mary Jane had a rich family life and shared many interests with her husband – from summers camping in Maine and travels abroad, to collecting early American antiques and Tonalist paintings, and building an extensive American folk art collection. She loved to entertain, garden alongside her dogs, and play the piano. When her children left home for college, she enrolled at George Mason University to complete her BA in Art History. She subsequently served as a museum docent at the National Portrait Gallery, Gadsby's Tavern and other historical sites in Alexandria. She also served as President of the Alexandria Lyceum Board of Directors for several years in the 1990s. Above all, Mary Jane was passionate about her family and grandchildren, for whom she served as a strong role model and source of inspiration. Her grace, wit, integrity and character, as well as warmth, generosity, humor and sense of what is right and wrong will continue to guide and inspire them. She is survived by her husband, George A. Haas; four children, Theresa H. Krause (Robert) of Winchester Va, Patricia Haas-Cleveland (David) of New York City, Susan H. Meyer (Theodore) of McLean and Christopher Haas of Alexandria – as well as seven grandchildren, Carly Krause, Eric Krause, Carter Cleveland, Christopher Cleveland, Theodore Meyer, Joseph Meyer and Timothy Meyer. Friends and family are welcome to attend a gathering on Tuesday, July 30th from 6-8pm at Jefferson Funeral Chapel, 5755 Castlewellan Drive, Alexandria. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, July 31st at 10am at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 310 S. Royal Street, Alexandria. A Celebration of Mary Jane's life will follow. The inurnment will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that a donation be made to the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org)P.O. Box 22718 Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718, Alzheimer's Association (www.alz.org)P.O. Box 96011 Washington DC 20090-6011, or PureMadi (www.puremadi.org)UVA Fund P.O. Box 400314 Charlottesville, VA 22904, a non-profit organization for water purification in Africa, co-founded by her granddaughter Carly.

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Mary Jane Haas

July 8, 1932 - July 24, 2013