John C. Haas, 92, retired Rohm & Haas chairman and philanthropist, dies

John C. Haas, 92, retired chairman of Rohm & Haas Co. and a tireless champion of community service regionally and nationally, died Saturday, April 2. He was a son of Otto Haas, cofounder of the global chemical company headquartered in Philadelphia, and Phoebe Waterman Haas, who was among the first women to receive a doctorate in astronomy.

Mr. Haas died of natural causes at home in Villanova, a family representative said. Relatives were at his side.

"Our father was a kind and charitable man, and that was reflected in every aspect of his life," said a statement from his children. "He truly lived the values handed down from his parents, and we are gratified that his good works continue to live on through the people and organizations he touched."

Mr. Haas spent his entire professional career with Rohm & Haas, beginning as a process engineer at the Bridesburg plant in Philadelphia in 1942.

Shortly after, he was called to active duty as a naval officer during World War II. He returned to Bridesburg after his discharge in 1946.

Very early in his career, Mr. Haas exhibited an affinity for what he often termed "the people side of the business" and enjoyed subsequent managerial assignments at the company's production facilities in Knoxville, Tenn., and Houston.

By 1953 he had risen to the position of vice president in charge of personnel and soon after assumed the additional responsibilities of purchasing and logistics. He was named vice chairman of the board in 1959 and chairman in 1974.

But it was his work in the community that defined him.

In 1960, after his father died, Mr. Haas was named chairman of the charitable foundation that his parents had established in 1945 - now the William Penn Foundation - in response to social problems after World War II.

He poured himself into this activity, and under his 32-year leadership, and with further bequests from his parents, the foundation's grants budget grew dramatically.

The foundation, and its unique family/private model, is widely admired in the nonprofit world. After the sale of Rohm & Haas to Dow Chemical in 2009, Mr. Haas directed a significant portion of the family's charitable assets from that sale to the William Penn Foundation to ensure a strong future for its work.

"Knowing Mr. Haas for the past seven years has been an extraordinary privilege for me," said Feather Houstoun, president of the foundation. "I know that the staff who have worked at the foundation during the past half-century feel the same.

"He was the epitome of humility and kindness, setting an example for everyone associated with the foundation. His special brand of quiet leadership has been deeply ingrained in our organization's mission, values, and work and remains the standard to which we hold ourselves. He will be greatly missed."

Mr. Haas received his bachelor's degree from Amherst College in 1940. Two years later, he earned a master's degree in chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

While Mr. Haas was working in Houston, a colleague introduced him to Bryn Athyn native Chara A. Cooper at a dinner party. The couple married in 1952. Mr. Haas credited his wife for the idea of devoting their personal estate to help children and families. Together, they founded the Stoneleigh Foundation to address the needs of vulnerable and underserved children and youths.

Mr. Haas was very active with the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, serving for a time as its president. In 1984, he was a founder of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society, created to encourage people to become significant donors to the United Way.

Mr. Haas was also a former director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Philadelphia and the Chemical Heritage Foundation.

He was a founding leader of the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies in 1976 and served as a trustee until the Pennsylvania Historical Society absorbed it in 2002.

He was a member of the board of governors of the Temple University Health System and a trustee emeritus of MIT. He was an avid supporter of the Natural Lands Trust.

"John Haas was a quiet and focused leader who used his prominence and wealth to support his strong social values and standards," said Graham S. Finney, a longtime Philadelphia civic leader. "He was modest and unpretentious.

"His involvement in so many charitable and civic endeavors was a true gift to Philadelphia. His legacy lives on through the organizations he supported and the many people whose well-being and quality of life have improved because of him."

In the 1960s, Mr. Haas' mother introduced him to the work of an energetic minister who had embarked on a mission of teaching self-help through education and skills training as a component of the civil rights movement.

Mr. Haas was so inspired by the ideals of the Rev. Leon Sullivan and the Opportunities Industrialization Center of America that he became a staunch advocate for the fledgling nonprofit. His support of OIC continued through the decades.

"John was totally committed to helping people who were in need," said Delbert Payne, who first met Mr. Haas when both lent their assistance to OIC. Payne joined Rohm & Haas and became the company's manager of corporate social investment, working closely with Mr. Haas.

"John recognized that people have pride and a desire to work and support their families," Payne said, "and he gave people opportunities - not just people at OIC, but all people."

Said Ed Rendell, former mayor of Philadelphia and governor of Pennsylvania: "John was a gentle, extraordinarily decent, and honorable man. If you met him for the first time, you would never have guessed he was extremely successful. He didn't care much for the trappings of wealth or success. He only cared about using his resources to help others. His special passion was improving human services and protecting our environment."

Mayor Nutter said, "John Haas served his country, achieved great success in the world of business, and then set about to give back to his fellow Americans."

In an autobiography written for his family, Mr. Haas reflected on his idyllic childhood in Haverford with his father and mother, who left her career to raise him and his older brother, F. Otto.

Mr. Haas described his love of travel, which started with business trips with his parents and brother in Europe. Mr. Haas shared this interest with his wife, and the two traveled the world for his work and on family trips. His journeys led to a lifelong passion for hiking and the outdoors that he passed on to his children.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Haas is survived by sons David, Leonard, Frederick, and Duncan; a daughter, Barbara; and 10 grandchildren. His brother died in 1994.

A memorial service will be planned for a later date.

Memorial donations may be made to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Philadelphia (attention: Development Department), 1518 Walnut St., Suite 605, Philadelphia 19102, or to the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania (attention: Memorial Gifts), 1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia 19103.