March 14, 1927-January 4, 2018
Edward Hahn passed away on January 4, 2018 of pneumonia in San Jose. He was born March 14, 1927 in San Francisco. His parents Gustav and Elizabeth Hahn lived in Corte Madera and his mother rushed to catch the last ferry to San Francisco that day in order to reach the hospital in time for his birth. Edward grew up on a ranch on Sparks Road in Sebastopol where his parents raised Gravenstein apples and chickens; during that time he survived an undiagnosed case of tuberculosis which he only learned about during his military discharge medical exam. He attended Gold Ridge Elementary School and Analy High School, where he lettered in track and field and was well known for his FFA pig, Analy Cutie.
In 1945, during his junior year of high school when he was 17, he joined the U.S. Navy and served for eighteen months aboard the cruiser USS Boise. The ship was posed to go to the invasion of Japan when the war ended. He was discharged on July 12, 1946 and returned to Analy High School, where he graduated in 1947.
After Edward graduated he apprenticed at Miller Motor Company and later worked at Rincon Nursery, which was located where the Flamingo Hotel is now, and was a truck driver for Sebastopol Feed Company. In 1952 he married Elvira Belluomini and started as an apprentice auto electrician at Harry B. Trembley Shop at 3rd and B Streets in Santa Rosa; thirteen years later he bought the shop from Mr. Trembley. After the 1969 earthquake, the shop was torn down to build the Santa Rosa Plaza and Edward built a new shop on Piner Road which he renamed Hahn Auto Electric and owned until he retired in 1989.
In retirement Edward was well known for raising specialty vegetables and flowers, including sweet peas and tuberoses, and large pumpkins up to 1200 pounds which won prizes in numerous Elk Grove and Sonoma County contests. During the October wildfires he and Elvira were evacuated from their home at Vineyard Commons in Santa Rosa, and moved to San Jose. He is survived by Elvira, his children Robin Hahn (Art Bertram), Steven Hahn (Pranhitha Reddy), and Susan Hahn, and his grandchildren Matthew Bermenez (Melanie Bermenez), Emma Rowe (Johnny Skwirut), Nathan Hahn, Meera Hahn, Mary McPheeley, and Frances McPheeley. With his support and encouragement, his descendants have become scientists, engineers, teachers, designers, entrepreneurs, mechanics, and chefs. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Mary Lou Weule, and his infant son Marvin.
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