Another Photo

Please feel free to leave stories and memories of Mom by clicking on the link 'Phyllis Haase -- In Memorium' under 'Previous Posts' to the right.

Phyllis Haase -- In Memorium

Phyllis Haase -- December 3, 1923 - February 28, 2009



Please feel free to leave a remembrance of Mom by scrolling to the end of the page and posting a 'Comment'.

The following video of Mom's Memorial service, held March 21st, 2009 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Poconos, is approximately 40 minutes long. I've been having difficulty uploaded the entire DVD, so will post an update here if I'm successful in adding back in the deleted parts. It starts with a blue screen and the volume is a bit low, but still audible in a quiet room. Please click on the > symbol inside the video screen to start it, and click on the rectangle with the upward/right arrow symbol below the screen to enlarge the video full-size.

Mom's Memorial

Newspaper Obituary

Phyllis C. Haase, 85, of Stroudsburg, PA died Saturday, February 28, 2009 in Pocono Medical Center. Born in Washington, D.C., Phyllis was the daughter of the late George and Claire (Pratt) Warner and sister to the late Douglas and Daniel Warner. Phyllis began a radio career at age 6, playing a variety of children's parts, and became known as 'The Girl with a Hundred Curls'. She began co-hosting her own radio celebrity-interview program at age 12 for the 'Washington Post'. When a scheduled interview with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was canceled, Mrs. Roosevelt invited Phyllis and her mother to tea at the White House as compensation (see more at: http://phiggy.blogspot.com). Entering college at age 16, she put her education on hold shortly thereafter when she married the late Joseph Pritchard and gave birth to sons Douglas (who died at age 20 while serving in the Navy), Bruce and Albert. She continued her career in the Arts as a director of children's theater and subsequently taught drama, speech, English and creative writing in both private and public schools during the coming decades. Her second marriage to the late Alan Haase brought the birth of her fourth son, Norman. Returning to college in her 40's and 50's, Phyllis earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees as well as being ABD (all but dissertation) for a Doctorate in Education. Organizations she contributed to with her time and energy, the hundreds of close friends made during her lifetime, and the warm embrace of her extensive family were her most cherished possessions. Survivors: She is survived by her sons Bruce Pritchard (his late wife Joyce) of Bainbridge Island, WA; Albert Pritchard and his wife Sharon of Stroudsburg, PA; Norman Haase and his wife Teresa of Allentown, PA; grandchildren Winter, Meadow, Courtney, Arlen, Allison, Allana and Sarah; and eight great-grandchildren (the last scheduled to arrive in April). Services: A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 21st at 1:00 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Poconos, 940A Ann Street, Stroudsburg, PA 18360. Light refreshments will be served and all are welcome to speak and share memories of Phyllis. The family wishes that contributions, in lieu of flowers, be made to the Fellowship directly, at 570-420-0580. Directions to the Fellowship are online at http://www.uupoconos.org/. Written remembrances of Phyllis are encouraged at http://phiggy.blogspot.com/2009/03/moms-passing.html. (this page)

I don't know if Mom ever heard this song, 'Fields of Gold' by Eva Cassidy, but it speaks to me of her. You might want to leave it playing as your scroll through the site.






Dear, Dear Phyllis:

So you have moved on to God's wider purposes for your wondrous life.

Such a lover of books we have rarely known. We can see them, still,
Phyllis, all over the E.Orange basement (never mind the Fire
Department...) and in your Stroudsburg hideaway, just a fraction of your
beloved across-the-decades library. Others of course took the point and
found themselves drawn to the wisdom and learnings of the ages because
of the song--literature--in your life. Anyway, here's a page from
Sandburg, and it is y o u , dear one:

The strong ones keep coming on.
They go down shot, hanged, sick, broken.
They live on fighting, singing, lucky as plungers.

Call hallelujah, call amen,
call deep thanks.
The strong ones keep coming on.

Yes, you do, Phyllis. Remember a Peace Laureate's saying, "We don't
know for sure whether words save lives, but we know for sure that
silence kills."? Your life breaks the silence. Whether at the Board of
Education, or on your bumper stickers, or among your friends and family,
you live on, "fighting, singing" even when times of infirmity come upon you.

CALL DEEP THANKS. You know, with Aquinas, that some have no anger
because they have no care for justice. How deep you drink of the well
that flows for love and justice.

Your calling forth the best from kids whom society counts least and puts
last: Some justice, good sister!

Your rejoicing in public life that widens embrace, resists exclusion:
O Phyllis, more justice!

Dare you to try to get this on your bumper sticker, but never mind,
here's you: We shall not rest until "decent citizens" and those strange
intruders who muddle the purity of our cultural spaces have extended
their arms to each other in joyful embrace... (Miroslav Volf)

It is sufficient, please God, that your students and grandchildren rise
up across the decades to CALL DEEP THANKS that you, dear friend, passed
their way to stand up to exclusionary "purity".

And now, soul sister to, who else?--Alice Walker, whose poetry you love,
this again is for you, and your loved ones can listen in--

While love is unfashionable
let us live
unfashionably...
Let us be poor
in all but truth and courage...
While love is dangerous
let us walk bareheaded
beside the Great River.
Let us gather blossoms
under fire.

Dear heart, with all your truth and courage, now go, go,
walk beside the Great River.



Maria and Frank Gibson


Here's Mom, a bit over a year ago, always trying to learn new things


These photo groupings were sent to me by Bruce

Top row L-R: Mom & Bruce (we think!)
Mom, Doug, Albert, Bruce (Whiteside Rd. in Sandston VA)
Alan, Beatrice (Nana), Claire (Baba), Kurt (Pop Pop), Phyllis...Bruce, Doug, Albert (Hillier Street, East Orange, NJ)

Bottom row: Winter, Grandma in England
Mom graduating Bloomfield College (1967), Kurt on couch
Albert, Mom, Norman, Bruce


Top row L-R: Norman, George (Grossfather), Claire (Baba)...Albert, Doug, Bruce, Mom
Meadow, Grandma
Uncle Doug, Karin, Phyllis, Alan

Bottom row: Mom, pregnant with Norman
Kurt, Claire, Alan, Phyllis, Beatrice, George...Bruce, Albert, Doug (I missed this wedding)
Mom's baby picture...we think!

One of Mom's favorites. She named her two birds Luci, after Pavarotti. I love this early version of Nessun Dorma.



"Dear Norman and Teresa,



Your mother did indeed make a difference in many lives, including my own. I have many wonderful memories of the times we shared. She often said we were more like sisters than in-laws. Phyllis gave so generously of her time, talents and love to so many people and I feel blessed to have been one of them. She had a way of inspiring and affirming creativity in many realms, piquing intellectual thought and curiosity, deepening spiritual awareness and relating to people in all walks of life -- along with living life fully and having fun. I now envision her doing all of that with some dramatic monologues thrown in, in more celestial realms." Karin Warner

Some documents from 'the tea'!

Norman's note: I obtained the following by initially contacting the 'First Ladies' Museum in Ohio -- who had no information -- but directed me to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library.

From 10/31/2008 --

"Dear Mr. Haase:

This is in response to your request for information regarding your
grandmother [sic] Phyllis Warner attending a tea party at the White House with
Mrs. Roosevelt.

We have found an index card in the Records of the Office of the Chief
of Social Entertainment which indicates that Miss Phyllis Warner and
Mrs. Charles Warner attended a tea at the White House on June 10, 1937.
Unfortunately, we have not found any other material related to that
particular function. However, we have located in the Eleanor Roosevelt
Papers: Gifts - Songs, Poems, Etc.: 1937, T-Z (box 190) a letter dated
June 26, 1937 from Phyllis Warner to Mrs. Roosevelt. Attached to this
letter is a poem from Ms. Warner to Mrs. Roosevelt and Mrs.
Roosevelt's reply letter. If you provide us with your mailing
address, we would be happy to mail to you photocopies these three pages
of material free of charge.

We hope that you find this information helpful. Please let us know if
there is anything else we can do to be of further assistance.

Sincerely,

Matthew C. Hanson
Archives Technician
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library
4079 Albany Post Road Hyde Park, NY 12538
Phone: (845) 486-7760 Fax: (845) 486-1147

VISIT US AT: www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museums
website contains more that 13,000 digitized archival documents,
photographs, finding aids, educational resources, upcoming events
and visitor information."

..and my reply:

"Dear Mr. Hanson,

Thank you *so* much for your research and email. You've made my week (at
least)!

My mother has been in the hospital for several weeks, and this will give her
a much needed boost, as she contemplates the arc of her life.

Phyllis is my mother actually, and will be celebrating her 85th birthday on
December 3rd. She attended the tea with her mother "Claire"...so perhaps
"Charles" was either incorrectly recorded or the written entry is difficult
to decipher (as my grandfather's name was George, that wouldn't fit either).

My address is:

Norman Haase
2540 W. Union Street
Allentown, PA 18104

I thank you very much for offering to send along copies. Presenting them --
and your kind note -- at the subsequent hospital visit will make for a very
joyous occasion (I won't be able to wait until her birthday. :-) ).

Regards,

Norman Haase
His Nibs.com
http://www.hisnibs.com
Blog: http://hisnibs.blogspot.com"

Please click on the images below to enlarge.

An Adventure

A friend and I skipped school to see Frank Sinatra. Yes, I was there among hundreds of screaming bobby soxers. The year was 1938. Waiting for the bus to take us from Greenbelt into Washington, D.C. Roy Braden, the town manager, offered us a ride I feel he must have thought our parents knew. The town of Greenbelt was a cooperative town built as a WPA project during the Roosevelt administration. My father was the mayor of this Maryland town.

When we arrived at the theatre the lines were long and excitement reigned. The marquee read Tommy Dorsey and His World Renowned Band.. Below this were the names of three singers, Bob Eberly, Helen O’Connell and Frank Sinatra. I remember vividly the song Tangerine. This teenager was “totally lost in the moment”. Any thought of consequences totally evaporated.

The bus trip home was ecstatic as we replayed our moments of swooning ecstasy and trying to remember the words of the songs. However this was short lived as the reality of what we had dared sobered us. Our parting was indeed “sweet sorrow”as we separately headed home. Did my mother know?

I was met at the door (she had locked me out). by an angry woman greeting me with arms crossed and a startling facial rebuke. In total silence she climbed the stairs. I somehow knew I was to follow. Then closeted with her in the bathroom, I was issued the unexpected news.


HERE IS THE REST OF THE STORY


A classmate, Teresa had dashed home with the following announcement. “You think Phyllis Warner is such a ‘goody-goody’, she skipped school with Freddy”. You can bet the phone lines lit up as the word spread. By the time my mother was gifted with a call, Phyllis Warner had skipped school with a boy.

“But mother, it wasn’t with a boy , it was my girlfriend Mayfred. Freddie is her nickname”..

This did not provide deterrence…..I was housebound after school for two weeks. However, the worst of it was having my Grandpa avoid me. His granddaughter had changed the note he wrote excusing her for one day, not two. I had marred this loving relationship.

Was it an Adventure ….or a Loss?

Phyllis Warner Haase October 2007

Shakespeare said it all

How refreshing to see Shakespeare's Othello yesterday at DeSalles Univ. A fine production by an outstanding cast demonstrated how the bard's tragedies provide the audience with a true catharsis. In addition we are so aware of the metaphors and delightful "play-on-words". As a floundering writer, it would behoove me to reread this gifted playwright.

Welcome to Phyllis Haase's blog!

I've created this weblog for Mom as another avenue for her to communicate with the extended family, as well as her multitude of friends. The first post below, Diginity magazine article, will hopefully serve as an introduction to those readers who might not be familiar with this aspect of her history.

I'll be teaching Mom how to add articles, original writings and photographs directly to this blog, so that she can share her thoughts on a regular basis, and reply to comments left by others.

Now don't be bashful with your comments!

Regards,

Norman Haase

Dignity magazine article about Mom

Move the scroll bar all the way to the right to see all of the text