Douglas M Haas

Douglas (Doug) Haas of Hawthorne, New Jersey, formerly of Wyckoff, New Jersey passed away on September 29 th, 2024, surrounded by family after a long battle with cancer.

Doug was born on March 10, 1942, to George and Rita Haas. He spent his formative years in Wyckoff, New Jersey and graduated from Ramapo Regional High School in 1960. In 1963, Doug married Sharon, and they remained married until 2014 when she passed away. They had three sons: Clifford, Daniel, and Andrew.

Although Doug pursued some higher education, he found his real passion as an entrepreneur in the automotive field culminating in ownership of a successful auto repair shop in Wyckoff, New Jersey. In this setting, he was able to combine his mechanical aptitude, organizational skills, and interpersonal abilities to truly thrive.

In addition to work, Doug was active in the Wyckoff Lyon’s Club, The Wyckoff Ambulance Corps, The Gasoline Retailers of NJ and, more recently, the Ramapo High School Reunion Committee. Throughout his life, he enjoyed fishing, car and motorcycle restoration, and anything else mechanically oriented.

After a short attempt at retirement, likely as a result of his strong work ethic and love of interaction with other people, Doug decided that retirement did not suit him and went on to have three additional careers after retirement including construction, tool sales at Sears Home Hardware (which he particularly enjoyed), and retail sales.

In all his work life, he had a positive impact on those around him and took particular pleasure in mentoring younger people. It must be mentioned, however, that working with Doug could be a mixed blessing for these young people. While he was eager to pass along his knowledge and work ethic, he was equally eager to impart his sense of humor and share poems, limericks, songs, and phrases with dubious content, many of which survive today.

Doug is preceded by his wife Sharon and parents, George and Rita. He is survived by his sons Clifford Haas (Katie Ellis), Daniel Haas (Anne Haas), Andrew Haas (Tracy Haas) and his six grandchildren Kevin Minogue, Chris Minogue, Jamie Haas, Claire Haas, Katherine Haas, and Ty Haas and his two great-grandchildren Connor and Ryan Minogue, as well as his four siblings.

Doug was a giving person with a keen and often irreverent sense of humor. He was hard-working and loyal. He was a committed family man, a wonderful dad and grandfather, and a fantastic mentor. He rarely met a person that he was not willing to help or consider a friend. He will be greatly missed by many.

Please join us celebrating Doug’s life on Friday October 4th, 2024, between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM at Vander Platt Funeral Home at 257 Godwin Ave., Wyckoff, NJ followed by a funeral mass on Saturday October 5th, 2024, at 10:00 AM at St. Elizabeth’s Church at 700 Wyckoff Ave., Wyckoff, NJ.

For those wishing to make a donation in lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Hawthorne Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

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