Obituary of Winona Yahn

Allegany, NY Winona H. Yahn, formerly of Willard Street and later Eden Heights, passed away Saturday (January 25, 2015) at The Pines Health and Rehabilitation Center in Olean. Born August 16, 1918 in Jackson Heights in Queens, she was the daughter of Hugo and Conerly Brooks Haseloff. In 1936 at St. Mary of the Angels Church in Olean she married Arthur E. Yahn, Jr. who predeceased her December 29, 1983. Mrs. Yahn, known to all as being devoted to her catholic faith, for her artistic talents and to serving others, attended college with a full scholarship at Alfred University from 1936 to 1937. After her marriage she attended Radcliff College until 1938 and later the University of Pennsylvania until 1939. She completed her undergraduate degree at St. Bonaventure University in 1957 at the age of forty. She began employment as a physical education teacher at St. John's Parochial School and then taught art classes and physical education at Archbishop Walsh High School for 20 years, retiring in the early 1990's at the age of 73. She was a member of St. Bonaventure Church and her affiliation with the Third Order of Secular Franciscans was a keystone of how she lived her entire life. That included being a tireless promoter of encouraging students to pray the Rosary. In 1984 she was named Walsh Person of the Year. She won a number of awards for her religious art over the years and in 1955 received the first-place popular vote award for her artistic rendering of Our Lady of Fatima. She volunteered as a former set designer for the Little Theater Group and was a longtime member of the Olean Art Guild. She created a set of oil paintings depicting the Stations of the Cross for St. Michael's Church in Weston's Mills and also for a Mission church for the Catholic Church Extension Society. Additionally she made and donated many other religious objects for Mission churches through the Catholic Extension Society. Another talent she shared was her pencil portraits provided to BonaFest for many years. She was one of the founding members of Olean Birthright in the 1970's and was very active with this group for many years. Surviving are a daughter Patricia (James) McAuley of Hinsdale; 19 grandchildren; 46 great grandchildren; 1 great great grandson of Beijing, China; a sister Diane Lucas of Elyria, OH; several nieces and nephews and a sister-in-law Charlotte Murphy of Cuba. In addition to her husband she was predeceased by 2 sons Hugo Yahn, Arthur Yahn and 2 daughters Winona Sullivan and infant Mary Ann Yahn. Friends will be received on Friday from 2-5pm at the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home 3128 W. State Rd. Olean. Funeral services will be held Saturday (January 31, 2015) at 10:00am at St. Bonaventure Church. Rev. James Vacco, OFM, pastor, will be the celebrant. Burial will be in St. Bonaventure Cemetery. Memorials, if desired, may be made to St. Bonaventure Church.