mapleman3
12-16-2010, 10:56 PM
Some sad news in the Mass Maple world -- Dick Haas of Hillside Plastics passed away on Monday. He was a longtime supporter and friend of MMPA.
Richard G. Haas
March 29, 1938-Dec. 13, 2010
MONTAGUE — Richard G. Haas, 72, of 41 Court Square, died peacefully on Monday, Dec. 13, 2010, at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born in West Springfield on March 29, 1938. The youngest son of the late Frederick and Elsie Haas, was a graduate of West Springfield High School and graduated from Stockbridge School of Agriculture with an Associate of Science degree.
Dick began his career on the family farm, Haas Dairy Farms in Southwick, where he used his college education to design and implement the milk processing plant.
Dick, who was surrounded by family when he died, was a loving husband, steadfast father, playful grandfather and generous friend. He will be deeply missed by his wife, Janet; sister, Virginia Galaska of Westfield, and his children: Peter M. Haas of Sunderland and his wife Deborah and their children, Taylor and Jillian; Kathryn L. (Haas) Colby of Barrington, R.I., and her husband Thomas and their children, Amanda and Kimberly, and Gregory R. Haas of Northampton and his wife Beau and their children, Alison and Luke.
After his family, Dick’s passion was his business. Dick came to Hillside Plastics in 1969, and later bought the business, which manufactures plastic bottles in Turners Falls. Through the business, Dick made a significant impact on the maple industry, developing a new line of bottles known as Sugarhill Containers, and patenting a coating process to help preserve the quality of pure maple syrup in the bottle. His efforts earned him induction into the Maple Hall of Fame in May of 2000.
Committed to his community, Dick served on town committees, was director emeritus for the Franklin County Community Development Corp., was on the Board of Directors of the Pine Brook Camp and Conference Center in Shutesbury, and served on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Greenfield Savings Bank, since 2002.
Visiting hours for Dick will be held on Thursday, Dec. 16, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Wrisley Funeral Home, 90 Sugarloaf St., South Deerfield.
The funeral will be held Saturday, Dec. 18, at 2 p.m. at the Sunderland Congregational Church, 91 South Main St., Sunderland, with burial immediately following the services at Riverside Cemetery, Cemetery Road, Sunderland.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Franklin County CDC, Greenfield, MA; The Cancer Care Fund, administered by the Cancer Care Program at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Northampton, MA, or St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Greenfield, MA.
Richard G. Haas
March 29, 1938-Dec. 13, 2010
MONTAGUE — Richard G. Haas, 72, of 41 Court Square, died peacefully on Monday, Dec. 13, 2010, at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born in West Springfield on March 29, 1938. The youngest son of the late Frederick and Elsie Haas, was a graduate of West Springfield High School and graduated from Stockbridge School of Agriculture with an Associate of Science degree.
Dick began his career on the family farm, Haas Dairy Farms in Southwick, where he used his college education to design and implement the milk processing plant.
Dick, who was surrounded by family when he died, was a loving husband, steadfast father, playful grandfather and generous friend. He will be deeply missed by his wife, Janet; sister, Virginia Galaska of Westfield, and his children: Peter M. Haas of Sunderland and his wife Deborah and their children, Taylor and Jillian; Kathryn L. (Haas) Colby of Barrington, R.I., and her husband Thomas and their children, Amanda and Kimberly, and Gregory R. Haas of Northampton and his wife Beau and their children, Alison and Luke.
After his family, Dick’s passion was his business. Dick came to Hillside Plastics in 1969, and later bought the business, which manufactures plastic bottles in Turners Falls. Through the business, Dick made a significant impact on the maple industry, developing a new line of bottles known as Sugarhill Containers, and patenting a coating process to help preserve the quality of pure maple syrup in the bottle. His efforts earned him induction into the Maple Hall of Fame in May of 2000.
Committed to his community, Dick served on town committees, was director emeritus for the Franklin County Community Development Corp., was on the Board of Directors of the Pine Brook Camp and Conference Center in Shutesbury, and served on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Greenfield Savings Bank, since 2002.
Visiting hours for Dick will be held on Thursday, Dec. 16, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Wrisley Funeral Home, 90 Sugarloaf St., South Deerfield.
The funeral will be held Saturday, Dec. 18, at 2 p.m. at the Sunderland Congregational Church, 91 South Main St., Sunderland, with burial immediately following the services at Riverside Cemetery, Cemetery Road, Sunderland.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Franklin County CDC, Greenfield, MA; The Cancer Care Fund, administered by the Cancer Care Program at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Northampton, MA, or St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Greenfield, MA.