In the summer of 1966, forty-two year old Dan Hauserman, Sr had his hands full:
-His wife Joan was about to deliver Heidi, their sixth child.
-Construction of the Cobblestone Shopping Center in Tahoe City began.
-Before construction of the Cobblestone, they had to remove the existing buildings from the property, including the small three bedroom house tucked up against the golf course where his growing family was residing.
-The removal of that house meant that it was time for Dan and Joan to find a lot and build their dream house in Dollar Point.
-The first tenant in the new shopping center was their real estate business, known as Hauserman Real Estate. The rental portion of this business would eventually morph into Hauserman Rental Group.
Needless to say Dad didn’t get a lot of time piloting a boat across the crystal waters of Lake Tahoe in 1966. Or actually during the next decade. He was busy trying to make ends meet keeping a real estate business afloat and getting a shopping center built. But being in a boat was in his heart. After all, it was why he came to Tahoe in the first place.
When he was growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, Dad used to spend his summers at his parents summer cottage in Muskoka Lakes, Ontario, Canada. His favorite thing to do was to beat out his 8 siblings and get a turn behind the wheel of the family wooden boat “Woodmere.” In 1960, after moving to the Bay Area, Dad discovered Lake Tahoe and decided that is where he needed to be. While he marveled at Tahoe’s beauty, what he really saw was a chance to return to the childhood joy of boating on a beautiful lake. Eventually, when retirement beckoned, Dad was able to bring his Father’s ancient boat from Canada to Tahoe, where it was lovingly restored and proudly displayed in the wooden boat show Concours d’Elegance. A few years later, he completed the circle by purchasing a summer place in Muskoka and bringing the boat with him. For the next 20 years nothing could put a smile on his face quicker then a request from a visiting grandchild to take a sunset cruise on the Woodmere.
Dan Hauserman, Sr. passed away on March 12th after an extended illness. He would tell you what he cherished the most about his life was his faith, his wife of 65 years, six children, fourteen grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren. But deep down we knew that for him there was nothing finer then being the captain, steering his boat across the water of his two favorite places on earth, Lake Tahoe and Muskoka Lakes. Happy cruising Dad!