Obituary: Jean Haestad, 84

Obituary provided by Munson-Lovetere Funeral Homes, Inc.

Jean Haestad, 84, died peacefully at her home in Washington, CT on January 1, 2014. She was the loving wife of Roald “Ralph” Haestad who passed away 7 months ago.

Born in Rockville Centre, NY in 1929, she met the one and only love of her life, Ralph Haestad shortly after graduating from Centenary Junior College. They were married in 1952 and from that day forward were never apart.

She was the Business Manager of Roald Haestad, Inc. Civil Engineering (RHI) which she co-founded with her husband in 1971. RHI quickly gained a reputation for very high quality work and innovative engineering which remains the hallmark of the firm to this day.

As an early adopter of computer technology in the early 1970s, she was a pioneer in the design, development, and application of time and cost accounting and management software which gave their firm an early edge. Jean’s daughter Randi Haestad Hoffman assumed Jean’s responsibilities at RHI upon her mother’s retirement in 2010.

Located in Waterbury, CT, Roald Haestad, Inc. (RHI) is well known and highly regarded for many significant public works engineering projects throughout New England including investigations, studies, reports, design through construction of major water supply and distribution projects, dams, sewerage projects, drainage, roadways and bridges, structures, soil analysis, and foundation investigations.

Mrs. Haestad was an Associate Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and a lifetime member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA).

Second only to her love for her husband and family, Jean loved to work in her office and in her gardens. She travelled the world with her husband for their business to gain insights into major infrastructure projects for the benefit of their clients. She was very active in the Washington Club in the 1960s, and she was a talented home decorator and needlework artist who taught her daughters amazing skills in sewing and needle-craft from an early age. In her youth she was an avid outdoorswoman who spent her summer days in the Catskills. She was as talented with a rifle and a fishing pole as she was with a knitting needle.

Jean leaves behind her beloved children, Randi Hoffman and her husband Ted; Cynthia Sauerwald and her husband Chuck; John Haestad and his wife Aubin. She is also survived by her seven grandchildren, Kristi Dobbs, Justin Fore, Jace Haestad, Jaime Haestad Cash, Jessie Haestad, Sara Haestad, and Tyler Hoffman, and four great grandchildren, Maia and Logan Dobbs, and Samantha and Danielle Fore.

Very special thanks to the wonderful caregivers from Northwest Homecare, Inc. and the New Milford VNA nurses who made her final days comfortable.

Jean’s family will gratefully receive visitors at her memorial gathering to be held at the Woodbury Funeral Home of Munson-Lovetere, 2 School St, on Friday January 10, 2014 from 5:00pm-7:00pm.