Emma Haar

Ipswich - Emma Haar, age 79, of Ipswich, S.D., died Wednesday, May 12, 2004, at Beverly Health Care in Ipswich. Her funeral service will be 2 p.m. Monday at First Baptist Church, 305 Main Street, in Ipswich with Rev. John Druckemiller officiating. Interment will follow at the Ipswich City Cemetery. Visitation will be 9 a.m. to Noon on Monday at Gramm-Hein Funeral Home, US Highway 12, in Ipswich and for one hour prior to the service at the church. Emma Geist was born Sept. 6, 1924, to Gottlieb and Rosina (Metzger) Geist near Tolstoy, S.D. She attended rural schools near Tolstoy. Emma married Emil Haar in August of 1943 at Watertown, N.Y. When Emil returned from serving in WWII in Europe they moved to Bowdle, S.D. where she cared for her family. In 1955 they moved to Ipswich where she worked as a waitress at Lyndean's and Craven Corner restaurants. She devoted her life to caring for her children and keeping a happy home. Emma loved to drive to places that she had never visited before, go out for dinner, and cook up a storm when the family got together. She enjoyed playing cards, spoiling her grandchildren and sharing coffee and conversation with her friends. Emma was a member of First Baptist Church in Ipswich and of the American Legion Auxiliary. Emma is survived by one daughter, Donna Hallett of Lakeland, Fla.; three sons, Arlie (Mary) Haar of Bath, S.D., Rodney (Jodi) Haar of Gettysburg, S.D. and Gregory (Dawn) Haar of Miller, S.D.; four brothers, Ben (Delores) Geist of Tolstoy, Alfred (Grace) Geist of Concord, Calif., Gottlieb (Bev) Geist of Aberdeen, S.D., and Bill (Ellen) Bomesberger of Bowdle, S.D.; eight grandchildren, Shelly Pitts, Chad Haar, Angie Seefeldt, Levi Haar, Travis Haar, Loni Haar, Christopher Haar, and Tara Haar; and three great-grandchildren, Kaleigh Pitts, Michael Pitts and Hope Fowler. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, six brothers and six sisters. Emma's grandchildren will serve as her casketbearers.