March 17th is globally recognized as St. Patrick's Day, but on my calendar it's also marked as "Uncle Erich's Birthday", and it will always be on my heart as Uncle Erich's birthday! Erich Haegele would have been 92 this year, but on January 29th 2026, the Lord called him home to heaven. Erich was one of two boys born to first generation owners, August & Helen Haegele. Erich along with his older brother Richard, called Haegele's Bakery..."home". The boys were raised together at the bakery and lived right upstairs. Barnett Street was their playground. The little kitchen that stands between the store and the back bakeshop is where their family shared all their meals together; along with whomever was working at the time. It was never an empty table "nor empty house" as Uncle Erich would say.
The boy's bedroom was right above the bakeshop which came with a unique alarm clock. Their father's oven peel banging on the bakeshop's ceiling was always heard and never ignored! When Richard chose the path of Baking in high shool, Erich pursued electrical shop. Though he went on to work for Bell Telephone for 34 years, he worked Friday nights beside his brother for many, many years. When Uncle Erich married Aunt Kay in 1958, they moved just a few houses down the street. As Mark & Sharon came along, the block became their playground too. Barnett Street was Erich's home til he & his family moved to the suburbs in 1971.
Course Uncle Erich never really left the bakery. He always helped out through certain holidays and he was our "Resident Repairman" for decades. On February 9th our family gathered for a beautiful memorial service celebrating his life, where Erich's talent to repair & keep things running was repeatedly mentioned. I don't believe there is anything within the walls of the bakery that Uncle Erich's hands have not touched! Keeping things running in a building that is 100 years old is no easy task. Uncle Erich had the ability to always find a way and his advise and opinion were golden. His character was also unisonly highlighted in all testimonies. You would have thought that everyone scripted their words together but his faith, his humility, and his soft-spokenness were a constant. This is where Uncle Erich's "softness" made him a giant among men and an incredible influence in all our lives.
Erich was not afraid to die. He was "ready" to be with his savior, in his own words. Even in passing, he was truly a leader by example. His daughter Sharon wrote a beautiful and
detailed obituary .Uncle Erich touched many lives across multiple generations and we were most blessed for many years! He is reunited with family that have gone before, and he wears a crown of glory this birthday.
A Heavenly Birthday For Uncle Erich
Posted 3/18/2026
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