Leslie Hasskarl

Leslie Hasskarl, 81, took her last breath on Sunday, September 13. She had been in the ICU since experiencing a cascade of complications from abdominal aortic aneurysm repair surgery on September 1.

She was born Leslie Neill Rogers in Detroit early in 1945. Her parents, Thomas William Rogers and Agnes Hughes Rogers, were of Scottish and North Irish heritage and had recently moved to the U.S. from across the river in Windsor, Canada. The family moved to nearby Harper Woods, Michigan when Leslie was 7 years old.

From an early age, Leslie was a redheaded spitfire. She played field hockey and performed in synchronized swimming. She graduated at the top of her class from Harper Woods High School in 1962 and went to work at the headquarters of General Motors, where she became loyal to Pontiac.

She met the man who would become her first husband while vacationing in Saugatuck, Michigan. She soon moved to the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago, taking a job in the offices of Z Frank, a General Motors dealership on the north side. She married in 1967, converted to Judaism, moved to Evanston, and began college at University of Illinois at Chicago.

In 1969, she gave birth to her daughter, Rachel Anne Sobel. In 1971, shortly before the birth of her son Benjamin Philip Sobel, she moved to the house in Skokie where she would spend the rest of her life.

After a period as an at-home mother by day and pottery teacher at ART Studios by night, Leslie completed her degree in renaissance history at UIC, got divorced, and began working at All Types Wire Rope and Sling. She was recommended for the job by the man who would eventually become her second husband, her friend Paul Hasskarl. Ironically, she also met Paul for the first time in Saugatuck, Michigan.

Paul and Leslie had their first date in 1978, when they rode bicycles to Northwestern to watch the July 4 fireworks. In October of 1982, he was welcomed into the family home.

After 20 years together, they got married on December 18, 1998, with their first two grandchildren in attendance. The theme of their wedding was “When pigs fly,” and their 3-year-old grandson Leo Rubenstein was their ring bearer, carrying a stuffed pig onto which Rachel had sewn wings cut from a stuffed dragon. Their 15-month-old granddaughter, Ella Rubenstein, had just started walking that week and ran around the courtroom on her newfound legs throughout the short ceremony.

She remained employed at All Types for years, eventually becoming president of the small manufacturing company until it was sold to Alloy Chain Slings. She remained with Alloy until she could no longer bear the commute from Skokie to East Hazelcrest in her Pontiac Bonneville, then handled the bookkeeping and collections from Mauritzon in Chicago until her retirement in 2007.

Leslie had a keen radar for selfish or narcissistic people and didn’t hold back in voicing her opinions of them. For just about anyone or anything else, she only had the nicest, most superlative things to say, especially about anything her grandchildren did or made. She had a great sense of humor, making dry jokes and enjoying occasional raunchy movies. She had big blue eyes that she often rolled, especially at Paul, even during her final days in the hospital.

She kept a serene and tidy home and garden, including a railway garden featuring tongue-in-cheek elements such as a house of ill repute. She usually had at least one vase of flowers on display in her living room. She had several pets throughout the years, including her black lab Jack and cats Missy, Ollie, and Gizmo.

She was known by her family for her catch phrases, including “onward and upward,” “the reality is…”, and “the sky’s the limit!” She was afraid of flying and always wore a mini replica of a screw pin anchor shackle on a chain when she traveled. She had no use for technology.

Leslie loved birthdays and holidays. She masqueraded as The Birthday Fairy for her children, even after they grew up and moved out. She stretched her own birthday out into a week-long, or even month-long celebration. For milestone birthdays, she often traveled with Paul and her sister, Sheilah Rogers and brother-in-law Stephen Baird. She was devoted to her small but mighty family.

In her last few years, she became mainly homebound due to vascular dementia, anxiety, and digestive and mobility troubles. She ventured out primarily to holidays, parties, and dinners at Rachel’s house or L. Woods restaurant, where she was once named St. Patrick’s Day queen and was forever after known to the manager as “Queenie.” She enjoyed reading novels, drinking Pepsi or wine, and watching Jeopardy.

Leslie is survived by her devoted husband of 28 years married and 48 years together, Paul Hasskarl, her daughter Rachel Sobel and son-in law Alex Rubenstein, her son Benjamin Sobel and daughter-in law Lee Burgess Sobel, and her grandchildren Leo Rubenstein (and partner Sophie Myrill), Ella Rubenstein, and Edwin Sobel. She also leaves behind her big sister, Sheilah Rogers and her brother-in-law Stephen Baird.

Memorial service Thursday, September 17, 4-8pm (eulogies begin 5pm sharp), 7724 N. Lowell Ave, Skokie, IL 60076. Livestream the event here: https://www.asimplestreaming.com/lhasskarl/

Shiva will be held Friday, September 18 and Saturday, September 19 from 4pm - 8pm at the home of Rachel and Alex at 2443 W. Morse Ave, Chicago, IL 60645.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Anti-Cruelty Society of Chicago anticruelty.org.

Arrangements by Inclusive Funeral Care, 773-318-1305 or www.InclusiveFuneralCare.com.