Murl Hahs (nee Schmidt), 92 passed peacefully on March 16th . Murl was born on a Friday, January 13, 1928 in the township of Birnamwood to her late parents, Fred & Erma (Kufahl) Schmidt. She grew up on the “rocky” family farm in Birnamwood with her parents and 10 siblings. Murl began her first 8 years of education at Balsam Grove, a one room, one teacher school with 40 –50 neighborhood students. In 1945 she graduated from Birnamwood High School. In 1947 she was accepted as a student nurse at Milwaukee Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing under the guidance of Sr.Emma Herch,RN who would daily remind students, “We are not here to dream and to drift, we have work to do and loads to lift, shun not the struggle bear it, it’s God’s gift”. Murl graduated as an RN in 1950 and continued to work at Lutheran Hospital for 34 years. On October 2, 1971 she was married to Chester Hahs and became a member of another caring and loving family. Whether it be the small creek that rippled behind the barn, Pelican Lake (especially ice fishing), deep sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico on the Blue Heron with Captain Curley and Sarah,to the icy waters of Sturgeon Lake in Ontario–Murl was always ready to go fishing. She also enjoyed gardening, knitting, crocheting and sewing, making mercy quilt tops for Lutheran World Relief and countless sweaters for family and friends, many which are still being worn today. Murl also enjoyed picking wild raspberries in surrounding woods and wild blueberries in Canada which she later baked into pails of cookies for her nieces and nephews. It was a toss up on who enjoyed these endeavors more –Murl or her nieces and nephews! She was an active member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Birnamwood where she was baptized, confirmed and married. Survivors include her siblings, Milton (Suzanne) Schmidt and Earl (Judy) Schmidt of Birnamwood, Carol Kocina of Independence, Minnesota, and Rachel Kluck of Tomahawk; sisters-in-law, Judith Schmidt of Birnamwood and Orah Hahsof Cumberland;a stepdaughter Diane (Thomas) Krueger of Rochester, MI and stepson-in-law William Pieczynski of Manitowoc; and beloved grandchildren Amy Tasch, Greg Krueger (Bethany), Ali Kay Smith, and Kathy Stafford. She is further survived by great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and many loving family members and friends. Murl was preceded in death by husband Chester, her parents, stepdaughter Jane Pieczynski, and siblings Donald, David, Roy, Doris, Erma Jean, and Verna Viegut. From Murl: Thank you all for an enjoyable and rewarding earthly life, but the best is yet to come. I am a child of Jesus Christ and am going home. Hope to see all of you there. Bye, Murl.
In following the guidelines recommended from the State of Wisconsin, the funeral service for Murl will be celebrated at a later date. Notification will be given when the funeral is scheduled.