Joseph Brooks Haas

HAAS Joseph Brooks Haas, 87, a longtime resident of Jacksonville, passed away on November 12, 2010, at the Mayo Clinic. He was born on February 28, 1923, in Savannah, Georgia, where his father served in the Army Corp of Engineers for many years. His family then moved to Brunswick, Georgia and he graduated from Glynn Academy in 1940. He attended Georgia Tech and graduated in the top of his class in 1943 with a degree in Architecture, where he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. Brooks served in the infantry in World War II as a Lieutenant and engaged in combat experience in the European Theatre of Operations where he learned snow skiing, one of his favorite lifelong sports. In 1947, Brooks returned to Jacksonville where he married Harriet Farwell and began practicing architecture with the firm of Reynolds, Smith, and Hills. Then, he later developed his own firm, Haas & Reed Architects, which became a premier commercial architectural design firm representing municipalities, financial institutions, physicians, county, state, and federal governmental entities, and industrial clients. He also provided architectural and planning services for Grandfather Golf and Country Club, as well as portions of Sugar Mountain and Beach Mountain in North Carolina. He was preceded in death by his wife, Deborah Stephens Haas; his son, Bruce Farwell Haas and his wife, Jackie; his brother, Morton V. Haas and his wife, Jean; and his father, Morton V. Haas, and his mother, Elizabeth Frances Abrams Haas. He is survived by Harriet Farwell Mott, the mother of his children, Robert V. Haas and his wife, Deena of Albany, Georgia; Elizabeth A. Haas 'Bootsy'; as well as three grandchildren, Ashley Brook Knebel, Haley Plaire Haas, and Gwenn Margretta and her husband, Pete; one great grandchild, Rilyn Kai Taylor; nephew, Dr. Christopher Haas and his wife, Ellen; great nephews, Payton Haas and Graham Haas; great niece, Christen Haas; and sister-in-law, Marsha Slick and her husband Clyde Slick and children. Brooks was a member of the Rotary Club, Florida Yacht Club, Ponte Vedra Club and Christ Church of Ponte Vedra Beach. He was a world traveler, an avid snow skier, tennis player, fisherman, fencer and had a passion for sailing the British Virgin Islands. Brooks was a respected Architect and father who will be greatly missed by all of his family and friends. Visitation will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 17th in Quinn-Shalz Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, November 18th in Christ Episcopal Church followed by a reception. Burial will take place in Jacksonville National Cemetery at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Jacksonville Humane Society, 8464 Beach Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32216 or Christ Church, 400 San Juan Drive, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082. Please visit our online Tribute at www.quinn-shalz.com . Services under the direction and care of:

Please Sign the Guestbook @ Jacksonville.com