Obituary of Joan Olexson de Haas

Joan Olexson de Haas of Union Township, NJ, passed away in her home Sunday, December 21, 2025. She was 92 years of age. 

Joan was born in Frackville, PA, and as a child, her family moved to Brooklyn, NY. Joan’s passion and talent as an artist began early in life. She attended John Adams High School, where her interest in art was encouraged and nurtured. After graduation, she began studying at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in Manhattan. While attending art school, Joan worked at Norcross Greeting Cards which was known for its whimsically illustrated and artist-driven quality cards. Some of these cards are now collectors’ items. 

After completing her studies at SVA, Joan worked as a commercial artist in Manhattan.  Primarily, her work was in illustration and advertising. She also earned a bachelor’s degree from Trenton State College and eventually a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from Brooklyn College. It was while completing her graduate degree that Joan created a style in which she used color to express dimensionality. It is also during this period that much of her work used symbols as expression. Some of Joan’s artwork is on display in the New York metropolitan area. However, she will always be known for her portraits. She had the rare talent to capture the spirit of her subject and express it on canvas. She was very active in the local Clinton art community where she met and remained a dear friend of the ceramic artist and sculptor Toshiko Takaezu. Joan was also an adjunct professor of art at Trenton State College. 

Her dear husband Siegmund de Haas also attended the School of Visual Arts. Their special song became “Some Enchanted Evening”, because Siegmund always said that he saw Joan in class “across a crowded room.” They were married on September 17, 1960. Soon after Joan and Siegmund settled in Union Township, NJ, where they raised their two children, Mark and Valerie. 

Joan was an optimist. She had a delightful sense of humor and laughed heartily at Laurel and Hardy. She treasured all the cats and dogs in her life, in particular, Sunny.  She loved her home and being close to the reservoir where she enjoyed sailing. She always put family first and delighted in the successes and passions of others. It is her joy, enthusiasm, and love that will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her. It is impossible to capture in words her spirit and her love of life. Joan is survived by her beloved son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Tricia de Haas of Chesterfield, NJ, and her beloved daughter, Valerie de Haas, and her partner, John Mathon, of San Mateo, CA. She is also survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Janet and Dennis McLeavey of Kingston, RI, and brother and sister-in-law, Gerard and Cindy Olexson of McLean, VA, and sister-in-law, Diane Olexson of Hamburg, PA, grandchildren Ava and Chloe, and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. 

Visitation for family and friends will be held on Tuesday, December 30th, at St. John Neumann Roman Catholic Church, located on Route 513 in Califon, NJ, from 10:00AM until 11:00AM with a Funeral Mass starting at 11:00AM. Interment will be held privately at Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery in Wrightstown, NJ. To send condolences to the family please visit www.martinfh.com.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in her name may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Please Click Here to Donate