Louise Haag

Louise was born on April 29, 1914, in Milroy to Anthony and Christina (Schmidt) Andres. Louise died on Thursday, September 11, 2008, at the Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center in Marshall. She was baptized, made her first communion and was confirmed in St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Milroy. Louise attended school in District 43, Redwood County, and graduated from Milroy High School in 1932. She attended Mankato State Teachers’ College and received her Bachelor of Arts degree. She and Wiley Welu were married in St. Dionysius Catholic Church in Tyler in 1941. They farmed near Vesta after Wiley returned from four years of service in the European Theater in WWII. Louise taught school in Lyon and Redwood Counties, 15 years in rural schools and 29 years in Milroy where she served as elementary principal and taught 5th grade. Louise cared for her children at home and helped with duties on the farm. She was active in St. Michael’s Catholic Church where she was a member of the Ladies’ Guild and the choir for 33 years. After Wiley’s death, she bought a home in Marshall and moved there in 1976. Louise and Don Haag were married in 1979, he died in 1996. She was a member of Holy Redeemer Church, the MCCU and Catholic Daughters of America. She was also a member of SW Principals Association and was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the VFW Auxiliary, Eagles Club, Hospital Auxiliary, and volunteered in the Wiener Memorial hospital gift shop, thrift shop, and scheduled and worked with the nutrition cart. She worked as a Befriender for three years and helped with patients in the nursing home, Crippled Children’s Clinics, blood bank and cancer drive. Louise’s favorite leisure time activities were embroidering, reading, crocheting and visiting people in nursing homes, painting and helping friends and neighbors. She has been heard many times making the remark that many of her most enjoyable times since retirement were meeting and visiting with former pupils. Survivors include her son Nicholas J. (and Mary Kay) Welu of Wabasso, son-in-law Leon (and Susan) Hoffmann of Sleepy Eye, six grandchildren Sara and Adam Welu, Greg and Amy (Hoffmann) Fijacko, Robert Peterson and Jodi Marti. She was preceded in death by her husbands Wiley Welu and Don Haag, daughter Donna Marie, granddaughter Mona Hoffmann, sisters Magdalen, Marie, Mildred, Stella, Loretta, Geraldine and brothers Lester, Glenn, Ralph, Louis and Cletus. Memorials preferred to Prairie Home Hospice or the Holy Redeemer Foundation.