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Fred D. Haager, 94, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and uncle, peacefully left this earth to be with our Lord and his wife of 67 years on Wednesday, January 10, 2006 at the home of his daughter, Patricia Schroeder, surrounded by family and caretakers. Born on October 19, 1912 in Michigan, the youngest of five children, he moved to Illinois in the 1930s to work on his brother's farm. There in Woodstock, IL, he met his wife of 67 years, Esther Kohl, who preceded him in death April 4, 2000. As a young man, Fred and his wife Esther lived and worked in Woodstock, IL, where they raised their daughter, Patricia, and son, Daniel and cared for his mom and dad and Esther's mom. In the early 50s Fred and Esther moved to Colorado for his son Daniel's health. There he worked with a construction company as a carpenter, and helped build the Air Force Academy Chapel. They retired to Illinois in the 60s, and Fred worked as a finish carpenter until he retired in '72. Shortly thereafter, Fred and Esther began their new life as traveling retirees, joined a trailer club and went all over the United States, enjoying its vast beauty and sights, making many friends along the way, playing countless games of pinochle, euchre and cribbage. They finally decided to permanently winter down in Donna, TX, coming back to Woodstock for the Midwest springs and summers. In the winter of 1998, the came to Albuquerque to their daughter Patricia's home and stayed through til March 1999, during time they celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary with family and friends. After Esther passed away in April 2000, Fred sold the family hone and moved to Albuquerque to live with his daughter Patricia and be closer to most of the immediate family. The next six years or so, Fred enjoyed road trips with daughter Patricia and attended all of his granddaughters and great-granddaughter's weddings, plus graduations and birthdays. Of course there were many cribbage games with Patricia and card games with all his grand and great-grandchildren. As his eyesight and the Parkinson's disease took its toll on his eyes and body, he became an avid listener of the "Talking Book" program, going through at least a few books every week. And he never missed watching any Cubs game during baseball season! A gentle man, humble and quiet, Fred, "Dad", "Grampa" will be sorely missed, but he left us with a love and respect for our beautiful world and all its creatures, and most of all, truly helped all who knew and loved him to understand that the best things in life are NOT things. He is survived by his daughter, Patricia Haager Schroeder of Albuquerque; granddaughters, Anne Schroeder of Albuquerque Jean Schroeder Makin of Chandler, AZ; Mary Lou Schroeder Dixon of Las Vegas, NV, Kerri Haager Garms of Woodstock, IL; grandsons, Michael Schroeder and John Schroeder of Albuquerque, and Shawn Haager of Woodstock, IL. He is also survived by great-grandchildren, Shanna Schroeder Flynn Dempsey of Albuquerque, Ian Anderson of Albuquerque, Caitlin and Kelsey Makin of Chandler, AZ and Meghan, Jackson and Quenton Garms of Woodstock, IL. Other relatives who will miss Fred include Jim Haager and his family of Woodstock, IL, Mary Haager McConnell of Issaquah, WA, Frances Haager Philotoff and family of South Bend, IN, Bernard Roberts and family of South Bend IN; and numerous other relatives from that area. A Rosary and Wake will be held at Aspen Funeral Alternatives at 1935 Juan Tabo, NE, Albuquerque on Friday, January 26, 2007 at 3:00 p.m. A Mass will be celebrated for Fred on Saturday January 27, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. at the Shrine of St. Bernadette, 11401 Indian School Road, NE, Albuquerque. Interment will be held in Woodstock, IL at a later date.
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