Jean Marie Hach – (84) – formerly of Hornell, died Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at the Livingston County Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation, where she has resided for the past 8 years.
Born in Rochester on March 17, 1935, she was the daughter of Norman & Lillian (Sink) Krapf.
Growing up in Rochester, Jean she graduated from St. Ambrose Elementary School (class of 1949). In 1953 she graduated from Lady of Mercy High School and was a 1957 graduate of Seton Hill College in Greensburg, PA. She later received her Master’s Degree from the University of Buffalo.
Jean served as a school teacher at St. Benedict’s Elementary School, Bennet Park Montessori School, and later at St. Leo’s Elementary School in Buffalo, NY. She began a Montessori program at St. Leo’s Elementary and ran the program for many years.
She was married in 1960 to John Hach who died in 2002 following 42 years of marriage. For several years, Jean & John served as missionaries, first in California and later spent 3 ½ years in Kenya. When they returned from Kenya, they resided in Buffalo where they raised their three adopted children and for many years lived in Texas. She moved to Hornell in 2006 and has been a member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and a communicant of St. Ann’s Church in Hornell and also St. Mary’s Church in Canaseraga.
Jean was committed to her Catholic faith and taught Religious Education, Pre Cana, RCIA, and Youth Ministry. She began the Youth 2000 Ministry in Texas. Jean was proud to be a 3rd Order Franciscan. She was a passionate ProLife advocate and dedicated a great deal of time at ProLife marches, writing to elected officials, and spreading the message that life is sacred from conception to natural death.
Surviving are her children, John (Karen) Hach of Tonawanda, NY, Jennifer (Brian) Spoth of Arkport, and Joseph (Melissa) Hach of Alvarado, TX; 1 brother, Robert (Frances) Krapf of Williamsville; 9 grandchildren, Jessica, Josh (Kelley), Catherine, Christine, Grace, Shannon, & Matthew Spoth and Cody & Gretchen Hach; 2 great-grandchildren, Ashton & Liam Spoth; nieces & nephews.
Family and friends are invited to St. Mary’s Church, 6 North St., Canaseraga for calling hours on Saturday at 9:00AM to 10:20AM. Following calling hours, a Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10:30AM with Father John Cullen officiating followed by a reception downstairs. Burial will be in Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Rochester.
Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY 14843.
Jean’s family request that memorial contributions in her name be made to St. Ann’s Academy, 41 Genesee St., Hornell, NY 14843 or the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 M. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601.
A special thank you to all the caregivers from the Livingston County Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation for their wonderful care, love, and respect for our Mom.
We met John and Jean hach in 2000 and was one of the best things that could ever happened to us because meeting our two beautiful friends was meeting God as well.. Our lives changed and continues to get better.. It was so sad to lose our brother in christ John and then we had to endure the pain of seeing our sister in christ jean go back to her home we continued our ministry and got to know our lord because of them. I know so many people who know our lord because of John and Jean.. We love you both and will sadly miss you.. Until we meet again.. Roland and Susan Hinojosa
God brings people into our lives to teach us how amazing He is. John and Jean Hach came into my 99.9% poor Hispanic parish when I was a teenager and changed our lives forever. They did not speak Spanish, but their smile and kindness was understood by all. By their example, they taught us to have child-like faith and to put God first. They “knocked on our doors” and invited us to retreats and events. As typical teenagers we had many excuses not to go, and unlike most of the adults we knew, they insisted until we ran out of excuses and were only left with a “yes”. They would drive 30-40 minutes from their home to teach us even if only one of us was available to listen. They were our first “youth ministers” (unpaid and without an official title). They celebrated our successes and helped us recover and learn from our failures. They will never know the difference they made in our lives and I know that they are partying in heaven.
Please accept my deepest sympathy on the loss of your mother (and grandmother). No matter how old we are, it still hurts to lose our mom. I have personally found comfort in the words at Acts 24:15 where it tells us, “There is going to be a resurrection”, and that soon God will “wipe out every tear” from our eyes. (Rev. 21:4) I’m also looking forward to seeing the fulfillment of Psalm 92:14, “Even in old age they will still be thriving; They will remain vigorous and fresh”.
You have my sincere condolences while we patiently wait for that day.