Mary “Joan” Haag, 85

Mary “Joan” Haag, 85, died Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at the Sycamore Care Strategies with her family by her side. She was a retired nurse of 48 years and a lifelong resident of Loogootee, IN. 

Joan was born on July 3, 1940, in Loogootee, the fifth child of Timothy J. Strange and Frances G. (Ford) Strange. In 1958, Joan graduated from St. John Catholic High School, and in 1961 she graduated from St. Vincent School of Nursing. Joan married Leo C. Haag on April 20, 1963, at St. John’s the Evangelist Catholic Church. They were married 63 years and blessed with three sons: Tony, David, and Chris. Joan worked at Daviess County Hospital for 19 years and then the NSWC Crane Health Clinic for 26 years. 

Joan dedicated her life to serving others in all her roles.  She lived her Catholic faith as she engaged with her family and community to provide care.  Anyone fortunate enough to come in contact with Joan was assured to receive her total focus, friendliness, and care. With her infectious laugh, heartwarming smile, and healing hands, Joan was a gracious servant to Christ’s work on Earth. 

To her family, Joan was a dependable constant.  Through every stage of her life, Joan sought ways to support both her Haag and Strange families.  Her immediate response to anyone requiring assistance, encouragement, or comfort was to make herself fully available.  As a result, her children, grandchildren, siblings, nieces, and nephews came to count on her generous spirit and abundant love.  From Joan’s earliest days of childhood to her final days, her selfless approach helped endear her in the hearts of her entire family.  

To the community, Joan’s dedication to serve was most evident in her role as a nurse.  She found nursing to be perfectly aligned with her character.  As an RN, she brought comfort to a wide range of patients from Daviess County Hospital to Crane Naval Clinic.  Joan’s commitment to nursing and patients fueled her relentless pursuit of health care knowledge.  In days before the internet, Joan devoured medical journals, studies, and textbooks to continually improve hers and her colleagues’ level of care.  Health care professionals knew Joan for her vast medical knowledge, attention to detail, and warm bedside manner. Through the years, it was common for past patients and their relatives to approach Joan with respect and gratitude for the deep and lasting impact she made on their lives. 

Perhaps Joan’s greatest contribution to her family and community was the beautiful relationship she built with her husband Leo.  Their love not only provided safety and encouragement for her family, but also served as a model of what true love looks like in real life.  They did not hide their affection and respect for one another and thus created a ripple effect of hope that reached people near and far. 

Joan is survived by her husband Leo in Loogootee and sons Tony (Teresa) Haag of Cape Coral, FL; David Haag of Atlanta, GA; and Chris (Wendy) Haag of Indianapolis. She is also survived by 4 grandchildren: Dr. Krystle (Leonard) Hahus of Leopold; Lauren (Isabella) Haag of Queens, NY; Mallory (Jordan) Haag of Brooklyn, NY; and Derek (Abbi) Haag of Fort Wayne; and three great grandchildren: Aubrey Hahus, Nolan Hahus, and Jamie Haag. Her surviving siblings are Kay Love of Loogootee, Ed Strange of Montgomery, and Francie Doyle of Loogootee. Her surviving sister-in-law is Colleen Timmers-Haag of Minneapolis, MN. Joan is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and their families. 

She is preceded in death by her parents Tim and Frances Strange and siblings Tim (Alice) Strange Jr., David Strange, Tom (Sue) Strange, Karen (Jim) Norris, and Michael Strange. Joan’s in-laws, who preceded her, are Mary Alice Pendleton, Gus Haag, Jim Love, Jean Strange, and Fred Doyle. 

 A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by the Very Rev. J. Kenneth Walker at 11:00 AM, Monday, Ma2026, 2026 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Loogootee. Burial will follow in St. John Cemetery followed by a dinner at the St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church Center. Visitation will be Monday, May 4 from 9:00 – 10:45 AM prior to funeral Mass. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Vincent De Paul & Community Food Bank in Loogootee. The Haag family would like to thank Dr. Frank Hopkins and the Sycamore Care Strategies staff for their compassionate care of Joan.