Winona State University’s Haake Hall stands as a bricks and mortar recognition of the legacy of Winona native Paul Haake, who passed away on Dec. 3, 2011.
Paul Haake, son of Arnold and Clara Haake, was born in Winona on June 28, 1932. The son of a local grocer, Haake earned his bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. from Harvard University and became a distinguished research chemist and educator of molecular biology and biochemistry at Wesleyan University and UCLA.
Haake remained connected to his Winona roots, frequently giving to Winona’s educational institutions. He established a scholarship for student-athletes at WSU and an endowment to support a poetry competition at Winona Middle and Senior High Schools.
During summer visits to Winona, Haake was known to attend the Great River Shakespeare Festival and Minnesota Beethoven Festival.
WSU was the primary benefactor of Haake’s estate, with a legacy gift of $1.5 million to the WSU Foundation for scholarships. Haake’s gift honored the memory of Lawrence Byrnestad and Doc Howard Daniels, who had great influences on his life and on the WSU community.
Learn more about the dedication ceremony of Haake Hall.
For more information, contact University Communications at 507-457-5024.
