Calla Mae Haese

Calla Mae Haese, age 81, of Ellsworth, Wisconsin, received her wings on March 8, 2025, passing peacefully in her sleep at home. Calla Mae was born on May 9, 1943, in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, the daughter of William and Delores (Kott) Crowe. She was raised in New Holstein, where she graduated from high school. Following this, she furthered her education at a vocational school in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, earning her certification as a nurse’s aide. She worked at Holy Family Hospital in Manitowoc for a short time before her life took a significant turn.

During this time, she met a young enlisted Army man named Carl Rueben Haese. The two became best friends, courted, and were united in marriage on November 9, 1962, at the Catholic Church in New Holstein. Their marriage was blessed with four children: Brad, Scott, Kelli Mae, and Nicole. From the moment she became a mother, Calla Mae knew her greatest calling was to be a stay-at-home mom, dedicating herself fully to caring for her family.

Calla was a wonderful cook, even managing to make Carl look forward to liver and onions. She found great joy in tending to her flower beds and carefully arranged flower pots, which brightened their home. An avid reader, she treasured her time volunteering at the local library and could easily spend an entire day lost in a good mystery novel.

She and Carl were devoted members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church until its closing. One of her favorite pastimes was sitting on their backyard patio with Carl, watching the beauty of nature unfold around them. Whether observing the foxes in their den under the barn, deer grazing in the fields, or birds flitting about the feeders, these moments brought her immense peace and joy.

Calla Mae is survived by her loving husband, Carl; her children, Brad (Chris) Haese, Kelli Mae Haese, and Dr. Nicole (Andrew) Haese; three grandchildren, Brad Jr., Jim, and Blake; as well as her siblings, William Jr. Crowe and Cathy Reese.

Calla Mae will be cremated, and her devoted husband of sixty years will honor her with a righteous burial. Memorials may be directed to the funeral home.

Cremation services have been entrusted to the O’Connell Family Funeral Home of Ellsworth.