Since the days when Lyndon B. Johnson served as U.S. president, she’s safeguarded the children in Lehighton.

Nearly six decades later, Fran Haas has decided to call it a day after over 59 years as a crossing guard in the borough.

Haas, who recently announced her retirement, was recognized by borough council on Monday for all her years of dedicated service.

She was presented with a citation of appreciation as borough Mayor Ryan Saunders praised Haas for all the “generations of students you have kept safe.”

Haas said she savored every second.

“I enjoyed every moment of it,” Haas said. “The community is so good.”

Haas, who shook the hands of everyone who was seated at the meeting table, said of the distinction, “That made me feel so great.”

After the meeting, Haas noted that she used to cross Saunders’ two sons and his daughter at her corner.

“And I was honored that he gave me the plaque,” she said. “That was very nice of him.”

Haas also noted that she was honored recently by the police department during its crossing guard appreciation luncheon.

“The community is so nice,” she said. “The borough, the school, the police, were very nice.”

The beginnings

Haas didn’t set out to be a crossing guard.

Rather, it was a matter of happenstance.

Haas explained that her in-laws, Calvin and Rebecca Haas had a business on Coal Street.

“(Wilbur) “Cap” Bauchspies, he was our mayor at the time, and he would bring buns into the store,” she said. “And he said, ‘Frannie, would you like to be a crossing guard.’ And he said, ‘put your hand up’ and he swore me in at the store.”

Haas said they used to have a meeting before school started where they were taught the proper way to cross the children.

She said the first corner she worked was down at the former Scotty’s mill, before she was asked to move to the intersection of Second and Coal streets.

“I was so glad to cross the kids to be safe, and they listened to me,” Haas said.

She would often go down twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon.

“I wanted to make sure the kids got on the bus safely,” Haas said. “I made sure when the kids were off the bus, I let the bus go across.”

After all, it was always about safety first.

“To be safe for the children when they cross because they’re very young; I felt like they’re my kids,” she said. “I loved every one of them; they were so nice to me, and the parents.”

Haas said she has countless funny memories, and explained how the children would bring her gifts on the holidays.

“I had wonderful kids,” she said. “The parents were very good to me.”

Haas explained how when she worked at Third Ward School as a lunchtime aide, she had her son, Kenny, and daughter, Susan, along with her nieces and nephews to cross at the corner to make sure that when they went off to school they were safe.

She noted her husband, the late Hilbert “Hilly” Haas, was retired from Haas’ Grocery Store in Lehighton, and was himself, a retired school bus driver (drove school bus for over 50 years) and school crossing guard.

Postretirement

With her life as a crossing guard behind her, Haas said she plans to take time for herself.

“I plan to relax and enjoy my life,” she said. “I’m going to spend much time with my son, Kenny; daughter, Susan; son-in-law, Roger, and my two granddaughters, Katelin and Chloe; and I love them so much.”

These days, Haas joins over a dozen of her friends and hangs out at the McDonald’s and Burger King in Lehighton.

“I go with my friends, and we talk about different things,” she said. “At McDonald’s, they call us the Table of Knowledge.”

After all these years of going out in all kinds of weather and being very active in the community, it’s certain to be a big change for Haas.

“I enjoyed that job so much,” she said. “Fifty-nine years is a long time.”

As she moved forward, Haas appears to be at ease with her decision.

“I think I did a good job,” she said. “I’m going to miss the kids; I’m going to go down and visit them.”