Born September 19, 1920, in Manchester, South Dakota, his parents Clifton and Mabel Haskell brought him to Beloit at the age of two. From that day forward until the day of his death, December 7, 1995, Everett Haskell became a one-man chamber of commerce for the citizens of Beloit. Those who knew Everett, and that was just about everyone in town, knew of his pride in attending the old Parker School (in latter years the Parker School bell became one of his prized possessions).

He served his country as a soldier in World War II and returned to graduate from Milton College with a degree in business administration. He then went into business under the name of the Haskell Agency and commenced a successful business career as an accountant, income tax consultant, real estate agent and securities representative. But Beloit will remember Everett not just for his occupation, it will remember him for his lifelong vocation, that being serving his community and helping, as a leader of the community, to make Beloit, as was his motto in numerous elections, “a better place to live, play, work and raise a family.”

Commencing in 1960, fifteen times the citizens of Beloit would elect him to the City Council and in ten of those terms his fellow council members would elect him as the Council President. In his thirty years on the City Council he missed one meeting and that because he was hospitalized, and many times over those years would, at his own expense, fly back to Beloit while on vacation, in order to attend a council meeting.

Mr. Haskell’s leadership in city affairs extended to his active participation in such organizations as the Elks Club, Beloit Historical Society, Ambassadors Club of the Association of Commerce, Muni Men’s club, the Country Club of Beloit and Beloit Morning Optimist Club. He was a charter member of the Beloit Brewer’s Association and had a leadership role in obtaining this minor league franchise for Beloit.

However, despite all of the call on his time, Everett continued to remain a low-handicap golfer and skilled bowler. Beloit has shown its respect and appreciation for Everett Haskell by renaming its municipal golf course to include his name along with Alvin “Butch” Krueger and the course is now known as the Krueger-Haskell Municipal Golf Course. In November 1997, the City Council established the “Everett Haskell Hall of Honor” and annually the names of other distinguished Beloiters are added to the roster which is located in the Lobby of the Municipal Center.

Mr. Haskell was survived by his wife Diane and two daughters, Amy (Brad) Russell and Jennifer (Paul) Clanton. No person can serve fifteen terms on a city council, without his or her position on an issue challenged by a voter, or even group of voters from time to time. Everett Haskell’s long record of service is a tribute to the fact that a citizen could disagree with his position or his vote, but knew he was acting in what he sincerely and honestly considered to be the best interests of the people of Beloit – and he was elected again and again, as Beloiters knew him as a man of principal and integrity.