Patricia K. Haas - Obituary

atricia Ann Koch Haas, 81, of Annapolis, MD, passed away peacefully at her home with her family on May 13, 2026. Born on October 22, 1944, Pat spent her early years in the small town of Irwin, PA. Having lost her father to leukemia when she was just two years old, she was raised surrounded by her mother's many siblings and her favorite downstairs neighbor, Martha. Her mother remarried when Pat was 12 years old, and their little family moved to the Regent Square neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Pat was the head majorette at Taylor-Alderdice High School and went on to earn a bachelor's degree at West Virginia University. In college she met the love of her life and husband of 61 years, David Haas, in a drawing class. Pat and David married in 1965 and had their first of many big adventures relocating across the country to Colorado. While David worked on his Ph.D., Pat hatched a plan to open her own preschool and childcare center. Despite being unable to get a loan herself because she was a woman, she designed an innovative curriculum and built a modern facility to house the new school. Pencil Fence Preschool was an immediate success, and the income from running and eventually selling the school became the financial seed that enabled the Haas family's continued life of discovery. The Haases lived in 7 states and 15 houses, and Pat had a varied career as the owner/co-owner of multiple small businesses, the principal of a private school, and director of a large fine arts festival. After relocating to Sarasota, FL, in retirement, Pat became an accomplished designer and maker of contemporary quilts. She was an excellent craftsperson with a refined sense of design and expressive color. Her work was published in books on quilts, and her king-sized quilt, Hurricane, was exhibited at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky. Pat had a smile that could light up a room and she was prone to uncontrollable laugh-crying. She loved to throw big parties and was often the instigator of fun and mischief. She was never bored and enjoyed creating things — she could make pottery, build furniture, tailor a suit, bake a pie, knit a sweater, and so much more. Pat will be remembered for her affection for her family and pets, her clever quips, and ability to cook a gourmet meal on a camp stove. She also most certainly would have rolled her eyes and said this obituary is over the top. She will be deeply missed by her children and grandchildren, and most especially by her loving husband and partner in crime, David. Pat is preceded in death by her father, James Russell Koch, and her mother and stepfather, Mildred Payne Callender and Harry Callender. She is survived by her husband David Haas; daughter Levke Haas; son and daughter-in-law Taeo and Mihyon Haas; two grandchildren, Logan and Maya; and her beloved dog, Chester. Please leave a condolence for the family by signing the guestbook at the Memories tab located on the left side of this page.