Lester Benjamin Hasse, Jr., passed away on April 10, 2023 at his home in Denton, Texas at the age of 93. He was born June 3, 1929, in Chicago, Illinois.
Lester is survived by his wife of fifty-seven years, Andrea Helen Witkowski Hasse; his sons, Thaddeus (Diana), and Theodore; his grandchildren Brendan Hasse, Rosalyn Hasse, Alexandra Hasse, Benjamin Hasse, Fiona Hasse, Aidrian J. (AJ) Hasse, Alex Taylor, and Hans Taylor. Les is survived by his three sisters Helen Kissinger, Luella Maroney, and Wilma Preissler.
Lester was predeceased by his parents, Lester B. Hasse Sr. and Mamie B. Hasse; his brother Gerald Hasse; and his granddaughters Bianca Hasse and Anastasia Hasse.
Les considered Gary, Indiana, his hometown. He grew up during the Great Depression. As a young boy his father purchased a building which was disassembled so that they would have materials to build a home. Les’ job after school was to remove every nail from every board which would then be reused. This notion of recycling is something he carried with him throughout his life. Nothing was thrown away! In adolescence, Les was a boy soprano and his rendition of “Danny Boy” often brought his family and friends to tears. As a young adult Les worked as a rural mail carrier in East Gary, Indiana, bringing treats for dogs along his route. Les was a salesperson for the Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) and was their top salesman. During this time, he was an active member of the Knights of Columbus and was a fourth degree Knight. As an adult with his deep Bass voice, Les was a Cantor at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Valparaiso, Ind. He often sang in Hebrew for Holy week services. He was active in the Valparaiso Community Theatre Guild where he met his wife Andrea while auditioning for the musical “Take Me Along.” He sang “I left my heart in San Francisco” and, as Andrea would say, “The rest is history.” After leaving NIPSCO, he opened his own business focusing on vehicle collision repair. While operating this business, he handcrafted a custom body for his beloved 1958 Jaguar XK150 which he owned until his death. During the economic downturn of 1984, the house in Northern Indiana was sold and the family was moved to Corpus Christi, Texas during Christmas of that year.
Les had a deep, lifelong love of music. While living in Corpus Christi he became a member of the Corpus Christi Chorale and the music director at the Corpus Christi Naval Air Station Chapel. He could sing in German and Italian among other languages. He worked at the Corpus Christi Depot in many different departments and ultimately was medically retired at the age of 62. While in retirement, one of the part time jobs that he loved dearly was working for Mr. George Finley and caring for his extensive automobile collection. After his son Thad graduated from Southern Methodist University, Les accompanied him to the Archeological Mound Humming Bird Pueblo, 50 miles west of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Les, his son, Thad, and his Brother-in-law Phillip Shelton single handedly built a Lab for the excavation and analysis of Archeological Artifacts. Les also assisted in building a dome house for his dear friend Charles Shamel in Rockport, Texas. Along with building houses and Labs, he also had a passion for boats. He designed and built his own boat with his son Theo. He also assisted Andrea in many school productions designing stage sets at Incarnate Word Academy where she was a drama and English teacher.
In the early 2000’s, Les and Andrea moved to Denton Texas where Andrea took a position in the Denton Public school system. They purchased a 1950’s home that needed extensive renovation. Les had the capability to bring his and Andrea’s vision to life in his minds eye. He designed the kitchen, enclosed studio, and bathroom by using his skills learned as a child and repurposing building materials. He enjoyed working with his hands whether it was a musical stage, home renovations, building boats or restoring cars. He incorporated his love of music while working on one of his many projects. Andrea, Les’ wife, commented that Les “prayed through his music.” Lester had many skills that he passed on to both of his sons and grandchildren. Andrea and Les’ home showcases his many talents. His yard and garage are a testament to several projects both finished and incomplete, including his beloved Jaguar XK150.
Les witnessed so much during his more than ninety years, and he was always very happy to share his talents and his thoughts with people. As he began to slow down just a bit, he enjoyed watching football (The Bears), being with his dogs Bandit (Great Pyrenees) and Oliver (Great Dane), driving to get his “grease burgers” (hamburgers), fire pits with his children and grandchildren and taking on new projects like building bird houses. He was an important part of his family’s activities and lives. He made the world a happier, brighter place. Lester, a great husband, father, Dzia Dzia (grandfather in Polish), and friend will be deeply missed.
A celebration of Lester’s life will be held on Saturday, April 29, at 2203 Redwood in Denton as an Open House between 1-4 p.m. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association at www.heart.org.
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