Theodore "Ted" Samuel Haas Jr., 75, of Longs, South Carolina, died February 2, 2018, at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center.
Born Feb. 11, 1942, in Stony Creek Mills, Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late Theodore Samuel Sr. and Florence Myrtle (Thomas) Haas.
As a teen, he helped his parents in their neighborhood "semi-self service" grocery store in Grill, near Reading, winning a contest for a picnic display he created for the store. As a youth, he was active in Boy Scouts and youth baseball.
At Governor Mifflin High School in Shillington, he lettered in football and as a senior was named to the first Tri-County League All-Star Team, with the Mustangs earning the first Tri-County League title.
He graduated high school in 1960. Offered a full-ride scholarship to play football for Montana State College, he turned it down with an offer of full-time employment at Sears, Roebuck and Co. in Shillington, where he'd been working part-time while in high school.
After high school, Ted attended night school for two years at the Penn State satellite campus in West Reading. During this time he became parts department manager. His department was named the best in Sears' East Zone, earning him a congratulatory trip to corporate headquarters in Chicago, the trip including his first time on an airplane.
While still living in Reading, Ted was named store manager for Harry Miller's Bargaintown, just south of Manheim, Pennsylvania. After commuting for a time, he moved to Marie Avenue in Manheim for several years, then to a house of his own design on Park View Drive, also in Manheim. Coincidentally, across Park View Drive lived a former Sears colleague, Bill Weidner, proprietor of Manheim's Western Auto store. After a few years of overseeing all of the Bargaintown stores, Ted left the chain and began work in real estate with Penn Realty Inc. in Manheim. Eventually, he became a partner with Terry Shaffer in the successor to Penn Realty, Full Service Realty, which later became part of Coldwell Banker. He had also formed a partnership in Manheim, T & H Sports with Harry Brady, selling sporting goods. He sold his interest in three Coldwell Banker offices, effectively retiring Dec. 31, 1997.
After retirement, he worked several part-time jobs at grocery stores and golf courses in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, area. He would strike up conversations with golfers, many times finding friends of friends from many states distant. While running a promotion at a golf course a few years ago, Ted was thrilled to be reunited with his high school football coach, Ray Linn.
A member of the Manheim Jaycees, he chaired the committee that launched the Manheim Jaycees Carnival, managing the festivities for a number of years. As a Jaycee, he also started the LTD Dinner and Bingo fundraisers.
Other memberships include Germania Band Club in Manheim and a life membership in Grill Fire Company.
Ted played slow pitch softball, delivering the first pitch ever in the Manheim Slo-Pitch League. He played in the league for teams sponsored by Manheim Jaycees, Phillips Ford and Harry Miller's Bargaintown, which had great success in both league and tournament play in three years. When a fall slow-pitch league started in Manheim, he formed and managed a team, the Bargaintown 65ers. His band of "has-beens and never-wases" claimed the title in the first year of the fall league. As part owner of T & H Sports, he sponsored teams in softball, volleyball and bowling.
In February 1986, he took a bus trip to play golf in South Carolina, his introduction to the Grand Strand.
In 1998, he moved from Lancaster to oceanfront property in Cherry Grove, South Carolina, then to a golf course home in Longs.
Ted enjoyed fishing, playing cards, golf and the company of friends and family. An only child, he grew up surrounded by numerous aunts, uncles and cousins in Berks County. It was this extended family that led to innumerable good times throughout his life, many at the cabins of relatives on the Susquehanna River in southern Pennsylvania.
Surviving are his wife, Gwendolyn (Rote) Haas, whom he married May 27, 1983; four daughters, JoLynn L. (Mrs. Jeffrey) Drexel of West Willow, Pennsylvania, Corinna E. Haas of Manheim, Robin L. (Mrs. Tommy) Bibb of Waynesville, Missouri and Traci L. Garrett of St. Louis, Missouri; a son, Theodore W. (husband of Janice) of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; eight grandchildren, Jennifer L. (Mrs. Ryan) Fisher, Jordan P. (husband of Kari) Drexel, Matisyn L. Haas, Nicholas R. Haas, Michela M. Bibb, Benjamin J. Bibb, Lauren M. Bibb, and Theodore S. Haas III; and a great-grandson, Harrison W. Fisher; his mother-in-law, Dorothy Rote of Myrtle Beach; and his first wife, Linda M. (Mrs. Gary) Haller of Akron, Pennsylvania.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at The Train Station, 210 S. Charlotte St., Manheim PA 17545.Visitation with the family from 10:00 - 1:00. 1:00 PM informal service.