Monica Toohey Haack

Mankato Mortuary 1001 N. Riverfront Drive Mankato, MN 56001 (507) 388-2202 Monica Martha Toohey Haack, age 88, of North Mankato died, Saturday, November 22, 2014, at Oak Terrace Assisted Living in North Mankato. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, November 26, 2014 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, North Mankato, with Fr. Paul van de Crommert, officiating. Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. until the time of service on Wednesday at the church. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery, Mankato. Mankato Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. Monica was born to William and Louise (Prigge) Toohey in Fulda, Minnesota on May 19, 1926, where she lived with her family until they moved to North Mankato in 1937. Her parents owned and operated "Toohey's Ice Cream Store" on South Front Street where she worked until she married James Haack on June 24, 1952 at St. John's Catholic Church. They moved to North Mankato in 1957 and became members of Holy Rosary Parish. Monica graduated from high school at Good Counsel Girl's Academy, Mankato in 1944 and has remained a loyal member of the Good Counsel Alumnae Association. She has been active in church-related activities for 57 years, Holy Rosary's Home and School Association, Council of Catholic Women, Social Concerns Group, and was personal correspondent for ten years, beginning the Sunshine Department, a ministry of the pen. Her hobbies have been cooking, writing letters, poetry, prose pieces creating her own greeting cards and stationery. She also has dried and pressed flowers for framed posie pictures as memorials and gifts. She became a member of the Southern Minnesota Poet's Society in 1978 and the League of Minnesota Poets in 1979, serving for many years as corresponding secretary for both groups. She published a book of her best poems in 1995, "Catch Me a Poem", has won poetry contests on local, state, and national levels. But her real goal was to write on a caring, sharing level and for her own learning and pleasure. She has visited many grade schools, reading and helping the teachers introduce the children to the Art of Poetry, and also has been the guest of church groups and other organizations creating sociability fun and a person accomplishment. Monica is survived by her husband, Jim Haack; four sons and wives, Dave and Mary Haack, Mark and Kristen Haack, Dan Haack and special friend, Dee, Peter and Kelly Haack; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; sister, Charlotte Mullin; nieces, nephews, a host of relatives and friends. Monica was preceded in death by her parents; sister and her husband, Bernadette and Edwin Bibbs; brother-in-law, Roy Mullin. Friendliness has been her trademark.