Peter Haab

Peter Haab, born December 13, 1931, passed peacefully on Saturday, November 15, 2025. He was preceded in death by parents Julius and Louise Haab of Ann Arbor, and by his wife Mary (Lindeman) Haab in 2017. He is survived by his children: Julie Miller (Robert), Eric Haab (Kim), and Brian Haab (Mary Jo). He is grandfather to 11 grandchildren. Pete was born in Detroit and grew up in Ann Arbor. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1950-53 during the Korean War. He was a member of the Strategic Air Command and had a top secret clearance within intelligence units stationed in Puerto Rico and London, England. After returning from service, he obtained a BBA and MBA from the University of Michigan in 1958 and 1959. Pete and Mary were married in 1959 and remained happily married for 58 years. They lived in Chicago before moving to Kalamazoo in 1967. In 1998, Pete and Mary retired to their cottage on Lake Michigan in Port Sheldon, and spent winters in Vieques, Puerto Rico. After Mary’s death, Pete spent his final eight years at Freedom Village in Holland, where he made many friends and was grateful for the caring and dedicated staff that brightened his days. Pete spent 39 years working as a banker. After starting his career at American National Bank in Chicago, he joined Industrial State Bank in Kalamazoo, where he served as the bank’s President until 1973. When that bank was acquired, he moved to First of America Bank of Michigan in Kalamazoo (now PNC) where he held various positions, including Senior Vice President, before eventually retiring in 1998. Pete was a pioneer and expert in certain forms of commercial and municipal financing, including the structuring of complex taxable and tax-exempt municipal bond transactions. Because of this experience, in the 1980s he was appointed by Michigan Governors William Millikin and James Blanchard to the Michigan Economic Development Education Counsel, the Michigan Economic Development Authority (the predecessor to the Michigan Strategic Fund), and the Michigan Investment Advisory Committee for the State’s pension funds. Pete was a prolific volunteer, leading numerous community and regional organizations. He served on the Board and as fundraising chair of the Kalamazoo United Way and United Way of Michigan, was a Trustee (and Chairman) of the Kalamazoo Symphony Board for 10 years, was Board President of the Constance Brown Hearing and Speech Center, Board President of the Kalamazoo Plaza Arts Circle, Board President of Ministry with Community Soup Kitchen and Homeless Shelter, and was Co-Chairman of the USTA National Boy’s 16’s and 18’s Tennis Tournament held annually in Kalamazoo. Pete was a member of the Rotary Club of Kalamazoo and a member (and Trustee) of First Presbyterian Church of Kalamazoo. Pete was outgoing and gregarious by nature, and most happy being with his wife Mary, his family, and their large circle of friends. He enjoyed tennis with longstanding social groups, had a passion for classical music and relished every opportunity to attend live performances, and had an encyclopedic knowledge of movies of the 1940s and 1950s. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, and is remembered by many for his warm and welcoming nature, his infectious smile, for being a consummate host, and for his love of a good gin & tonic or martini. Pete’s family is planning a memorial service for the late spring or early summer. Donations in Pete’s honor may be made to the Free@3 Concert Series (freeat3.weebly.com) or The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (bloodcancerunited.org). The family is being served by Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home, 315 E. 16th St. Holland.

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Peter Haab

December 13, 1931 - November 15, 2025