Sarah E. (Haas) Pemsl, 82, of Dubuque, died Sunday, March 26, 2023, at the Stonehill Care Center in Dubuque surrounded by family.

A prayer service will be held 3:45 pm Monday, April 3, 2023 at Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home & Cremation Service followed by visitation until 7:00 pm.

The Mass of Christian Burial for Sarah will be 10:00 am Tuesday, April 4, 2023, at Church of the Nativity with Msgr. James Miller as the Celebrant. Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery in Dubuque at a later date.

Sarah was born June 28, 1940 at home, on a farm, in Grant County, Wisconsin to Lawrence H. and Claribel E. (Schmelz) Haas.  She attended the Adrian one-room school house, and with her siblings walked two miles to school. She graduated from St. Andrews High School, Class of 1958, in Tennyson, Wisconsin.  After high school, she worked at Eastman Cartwright Lumber Company, Badger State Bank in Cassville, Wisconsin. and First National Bank in Dubuque, Iowa.

Sarah met the love of her life, George Pemsl, at the Melody Mill Dance Hall and later married George on June 20, 1964, at St. Charles Catholic Church in Cassville, Wisconsin. She became a homemaker and together they raised three beautiful daughters, Monica, Maria, and Gretchen.  Sarah was a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother. She loved being with her family, especially her grandchildren.  Together they celebrated 58 years of marriage.

Sarah enjoyed a good game of cards with family or friends and games with her grandchildren. She enjoyed tending to her vegetable and flower gardens for many years. She was known for her green thumb and being able to nurse plants back to life. She spent much of her time cooking, baking and canning which brought much enjoyment to her friends and family. She mastered embroidery and crocheting as a young girl and spent many hours doing it as an adult. Her greatest recognition was winning first place at the 1976 Iowa State Fair for her workmanship on an embroidered quilt of the U.S. State birds.

Sarah was a member of the Nativity Catholic Church, Rosary Society, 60 Plus Group, and the Women of the Moose. She joined the Women of the Moose, Dubuque Chapter #850 in 1968, and was a life member.  She served the Chapter in all elected offices and was ­­Senior Regent from 1997 to 1998.  She received her College of Regents Degree at Mooseheart, IL in 2000.

Sarah is survived by her husband, George of Dubuque; daughters, Monica Reid (Greg Campbell), of St. Paul, MN, Maria Pemsl of Maplewood, MN, and Gretchen (Keith) Heiar of Dunlap, IL; six grandchildren, Lillian and Jacob Reid, Anna, Claire, Andrew and Joseph Heiar; brother, Jim Haas of Potosi, WI; and in-laws, David Pemsl and Ann (Jim) Lanser all of Dubuque, and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence and Claribel (Schmelz) Haas; her second mother, Marie (Reding) Haas; father-in-law and mother-in-law, George and Anna Pemsl; sister and brother-in-law, Patricia (Bill) Brindley; brother and sister-in-law, Joseph (Sharlene) Haas; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Mary Haas, Helen (Robert) Niday, Linda Pemsl, and son-in-law, Jeff Reid.

We would like to express our gratitude to the medical staff who cared for Sarah over the years. A special thank you to those who helped in her final weeks with us: MercyOne 3rd floor nurses and CNA’s, Drs. Menezes,  Rodriguez, Whalen, and Chris Stille, Johnson, Julie Ehlinger, Stonehill Communities and Hospice of Dubuque.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established.

A photo tribute can be viewed and condolences sent to the family by visiting Sarah’s obituary at www.hskfhcares.com.