Joe Habas
Interviewing the late Theresa Kujkowski Brasington from Holy Trinity and Joe Habas from St. Casimir.
Joe Habas Interviewed January 29, 2016.
I met Mr. Joe Habas at his residence at Sarah Reed Senior Living, where he moved to be close to his wife Wanda who was a resident there in the Nursing Center.
Joe’s mother, Mary Pytlarz married a Frank Kulig in Poland in 1903. Frank Kulig left for America, acquired a factory job in Erie, and sent for his wife Mary in 1908.
They became parents of seven children; Sophie, Frank, Rose, Eugene, Julia, Genevieve, and Bertha Kulig.
It was the end of the First World War November 11, 1918, and Frank Kulig celebrated with everyone else. Unfortunately, the weather was bitter cold and he contracted pneumonia and died, leaving wife Mary, a widow with seven children.
The Kulig family helped Mary as much as they could, and she eventually took in boarders to help with expenses. This is where she met Vincent Habas, one of the boarders. They had actually known each other in Poland.
They married in about 1920, and had four more children; Felix, Joe, Edward, and John.
Tragedy was to strike again in 1927, when Vincent Habas was killed in an industrial accident. Joe’s mother was now a widow with eleven children. Joe was five years old and does not remember much about his father. (In fact, he did not know till he was older of the background of his two families.)
With the help of the Kulig family and friends, church, and neighbors, they were able to survive.
Joe’s Kulig siblings were much older and brother Eugene was considered the disciplinarian. The younger Habas brothers even thought that he must be their father. Eugene was home much of the time because he had polio at a young age and had a shortened leg. However, he eventually became a cook, a tool crib supervisor at Parker White Metal, and an accordion player for the Osiecki Band.
Joe Habas was known as “Jasco.” In Polish, Joseph was Yush-ko.
Mr. Habas wrote an autobiography in 2008, entitled “The Life of Jasco.” This was done at the urging of his children and grandchildren, to record the history of his family. I was honored to receive a copy of this book and learn about growing up Polish and the hard lives he and his family endured and were able to overcome and become successful.
Joe grew up at 1224 East 8th Street, and is a lifelong Parishioner at St. Casimir’s. He attended St. Casimir School and was an Altar Boy. Joe was even named “Altar Boy of the Year,” for the essay he wrote about being a server and winning a citywide contest.
Kulig-Habas Homestead 1224 East 8th Street.
With the help of Msgr. Dlugolecki of St. Casimir’s, Joe was able to attend Kanty Prep. In the middle of his sophomore year, Joe wanted to transfer to East High School, where many of friends went and that he grew up with. After much convincing, his mother relented and using all his credits from Kanty, Joe was able to graduate after 3 ½ years at the age of 17 in 1940.
In December of 1942, he received his draft notice for the United States Army, and served for three years. During his time in the army, Joe was first stationed at Ft. Lewis, Washington. He found out that an old neighbor Fr. Leo Rafalowski was at a near-by location. Joe met up with him and even had a chance to serve Mass with Fr. Leo on a couple of occasions.
Joe also participated in D-Day plus three, on Utah Beach. He was a radio operator. Towards the end of the War, Joe arrived near Munich, Germany and a slave camp of Polish Refugees, who were slave laborers under the Nazi regime. They were excited to see an American who spoke Polish, and wanted to come to America with him. They cried, “Cuda, Cuda, Cuda,” which meant “Miracle, Miracle, Miracle!” Joe had a hard time convincing that that it was not in his power to make that happen.
After the war, Joe was able to attend Alliance College in Cambridge Springs, PA., and later attended Gannon College graduating with a BA in 1949. He became a teacher and guidance counselor.
Joe Habas met up with Wanda Jakubowski at a teacher’s conference at Strong Vincent High School in October 1950. By that time, Wanda was already a nurse in the Harborcreek School District. They had already known each other growing up as neighbors and classmates at St. Casimir, although Joe was about three years older.
They began dating each other and were both dating other people; but fell in love and were engaged in April 1951 and married in August of 1951 at St. Casimir Church.
I do not have much information of Wanda’s early years, except that her parents were Stanley and Stella Jakubowski, and her mother was a Pazdziesz from home.
From the Erie Morning News dated September 14, 1989, staff reporter, Liz Allen, in the article of Erie’s Polish Heritage, “Polish couple grasps past, eyes future,” “Wanda’s mother, Stella, immigrated to Erie as a young girl and learned to be a seamstress at the Pogorzelski Dry Goods store at 13th and Parade. Stella met her future husband, Stanley Jakubowski, at a dance sponsored by Alliance College, where he earned a degree as a tool and die maker.”
According to her obituary, Wanda graduated from East High School, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Villa Maria College and her nursing degree from St. Vincent School of Nursing. She served as a nurse at Spencer Hospital in Meadville, St. Vincent Hospital in Erie, and Harbor Creek High School, and retired after many years at the Barber National Institute.
Joe and Wanda were blessed with five children, Mary Beth, JoEllen, Meg, Jay, and Amy. Sadly, they lost two daughters at childbirth, Doris and Rebecca.
Joe and Wanda were very active in their community and St. Casimir’s Church. They were instrumental in the founding of the “Casimirian Ball.” It began as an idea to honor the 1,000 Year of Polish Christianity in 1966. It was first called the “Millennium Ball”, later the “Casimirian Ball.”
From the Erie Morning News dated September 14, 1989, staff reporter, Liz Allen, in the article of Erie’s Polish Heritage, “Polish couple grasps past, eyes future,” “Wanda’s mother, Stella, immigrated to Erie as a young girl and learned to be a seamstress at the Pogorzelski Dry Goods store at 13th and Parade. Stella met her future husband, Stanley Jakubowski, at a dance sponsored by Alliance College, where he earned a degree as a tool and die maker.”
According to her obituary, Wanda graduated from East High School, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Villa Maria College and her nursing degree from St. Vincent School of Nursing. She served as a nurse at Spencer Hospital in Meadville, St. Vincent Hospital in Erie, and Harbor Creek High School, and retired after many years at the Barber National Institute.
Joe and Wanda were blessed with five children, Mary Beth, JoEllen, Meg, Jay, and Amy. Sadly, they lost two daughters at childbirth, Doris and Rebecca.
Joe and Wanda were very active in their community and St. Casimir’s Church. They were instrumental in the founding of the “Casimirian Ball.” It began as an idea to honor the 1,000 Year of Polish Christianity in 1966. It was first called the “Millennium Ball”, later the “Casimirian Ball.”
Millenium Ball Program
They were also instrumental in the “Krakow Square Festival,” in 1986. It was held on the grounds of St. Casimir’s and replicated the town square in Poland. The money raised was $18,000 and was used to provide medicine for Poland, under the program, “Americares.” Joe Habas was one of those chosen to accompany the cargo plane to Poland. Also aboard were journalists who came to gather stories of the Polish people’s oppression. When they got there, Joe asked a few Polish citizens about their plight. However, no one wanted to talk to him fearing reprisal. He even asked a Priest to talk to him. The Priest told him in so many words that the Polish were going to heaven and the Americans needed the prayers because “we have all the luxuries in life and still complain.” With that, the journalists left Poland and went to other countries, while Joe and the other volunteers stayed behind to issue the medicine to those in need.
Joe and Wanda at the Krakow Square Festival.
Planning St. Casimir's 75th Anniversary with Fr. Dan Kresinski, 1989. Photo courtesy of Liz Allen.
Wanda was also involved in AIDS awareness activities, writing a booklet for school children The Alphabet of AIDS, and creating a panel for the AIDS quilt.
I learned so much from Joe Habas, and I am thankful to have spent the early evening with him.
God Bless Joe and Wanda Habas!
***UPDATE***
Wanda Habas passed away on May 18, 2016.
Wanda S. Habas, age 91, passed away on Wednesday, May 18, 2016, at the Sarah A. Reed Retirement Center. She was the daughter of Stanley and Stella Jakubowski.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister Dolores; and two infant daughters.
Wanda graduated from East High School and earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Villa Maria College and her nursing degree from St. Vincent School of Nursing. She served as a nurse at Spencer Hospital in Meadville, St. Vincent Hospital in Erie, and Harbor Creek High School, and retired after many years at the Barber National Institute.
She was a lifelong member of St. Casimir Parish, where she participated in the Rosary Society and the Christian Family Movement. She was active in planning the Casimirian Ball and the Krakow Square Festival, whose proceeds benefited survivors of the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster in Poland. Wanda was also involved in AIDS awareness activities, writing a booklet for school children The Alphabet of AIDS, and creating a panel for the AIDS quilt.
Survivors include her husband of nearly 65 years, Joseph E. Habas; children, Marybeth Johnson and her husband David, JoEllen Habas, Meg Morris and her husband Rick, Jay Habas and his wife Carol, and Amy Habas; grandchildren, Barry Johnson and his wife Danielle Gibson, David Morris and his wife Jennifer, Jim Morris and his wife Jenna, and Julie Morris Giewont and her husband Shawn; and five great-grandchildren, Ryan, Matthew, Brody and Mason Morris and Tyler Giewont.
Wanda and Joe enjoyed many travel adventures, visiting historical religious sites including Poland, Rome, Jerusalem, France, Spain, Portugal and Canada. They also traveled throughout the United States, with a highlight being a visit to Father Damien's Leper Colony on the island of Molokai, Hawaii.
A true nurse at heart, Wanda always cared for those in need and served as an inspiration to many.
Wanda was a resident of both St. Mary's Home - East and most recently Sarah A. Reed Retirement Center. Her family would like to thank each and every staff member for the compassionate care they so lovingly provided.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Barber National Institute.
Friends may call at the Mark G. Razanauskas Funeral Home, 701 East Avenue, Erie, Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. where a prayer service will be conducted Monday morning at 9:30 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Casimir R. C. Church at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery.
Joe joined Wanda in heaven on September 17, 2020.
Joseph E. Habas, born October 10, 1922, the last surviving member of the Kulig/Habas family of Erie, passed from this life on September 17, 2020. The third youngest of 11 children born to Polish immigrants, Joe and his siblings were raised by his mother alone during the Great Depression, as his father died when Joe was just five years old. He cherished and held his family dear to his heart, instilling the importance of family that he carried throughout his lifetime.
Joe was a graduate of St. Casimir and East High Schools, attended Alliance College, and graduated from Gannon College (B.A. English) and Penn State University (M.Ed. Counseling). He fought in World War II under the command of General George S. Patton, after landing in France on Omaha Beach on D-Day plus 3. He was part of the Allied offensive that liberated Europe and traveled through the continent during the war and before returning home, where he took advantage of the GI Bill to be the only family member to graduate from college.
Joe taught English at Corry High School for two years and for many years at Academy High School. He became a guidance counselor at Wilson and Wayne Middle Schools until his retirement in 1984, after 34 years in public education.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Wanda Jakubowski, whom he married in 1951. Together they had five children - Mary Beth (husband Dave), JoEllen, Meg (husband Rick), Jay (wife Carol), and Amy, four grandchildren - David Morris (Jen), Barry Johnson (Danielle), Jim Morris (Jenna), and Julie Giewont (fiancé Anthony), and eight great-grandsons. He and Wanda were married for almost 65 years and enjoyed their family along with church friends. They traveled together extensively, including to their ancestral homeland of Poland and a leper colony in Hawaii. Joe and Wanda were active members of St. Casimir Church, where he belonged to the Holy Name Society. Joe and Wanda helped organize many church events, including the Casimirian Ball and the city-wide Krakow Square Festival, which raised funds for medical supplies to aid children in Poland affected by nuclear fallout from the Chernobyl, Russia disaster.
While Joe was an avid reader and followed current events, he was most proud of his family. In his later years he enjoyed being surrounded by the energy of his children, grandchildren and great grandsons. His legacy is documented in the book he wrote, “The Life of Jasco,” and contribution to the Veterans History Project through the Library of Congress, ensuring that his great grandchildren will remember the special man they called, “Papa Joe.”
Friends may call on Friday, September 18, 2020 at the Kloecker-Razanauskas Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. 701 East Avenue Erie PA 16503 from 5pm until 8pm and are invited to the prayer service there at 9:30am on Saturday followed by a Funeral Mass at 10am at St. Casimir Church. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Brevillier Village to purchase large print books for future senior readers to enjoy, as he did.
On a personal note:
I first met Wanda and Joe Habas at a Swieconka dinner held at the Polish Sharpshooters Club in the late 1990’s. I was a little kid, but they were very impressed that I had asked my parents to go to this type of event, and that I was so interested in all things Polish.
I was fortunate to interview Joe at Sarah Reed Nursing Home in January of 2018, and unfortunately Wanda was also there suffering from dementia. Joe moved to an apartment at Sarah Reed to be closer to his wife. He even took my mother and I to visit Wanda after our interview. Joe also introduced me to his neighbor at Sarah Reed, Theresa Brasington, who I also interviewed on this site.
Joe was very direct and humorous, and although he enjoyed reminiscing about the past, he was very focused on the future.
Spoczywaj w Pokoju. May they Rest in Peace.
---Bobby J. Sulecki---
