Paul R. Haas

Paul R. Haas, a long time resident of Corpus Christi, passed away on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2008, at the age of 93. Mr. Haas is survived by Mary Haas his wife of 72 years; by their three children: Rheta Haas Page and her husband, Robert Page, Raymond Paul Haas and his wife, Amanda Slabaugh Haas, and Rene Haas and her husband, David Perry. Mr. and Mrs. Haas have ten grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. Mr. Haas was born on March 10, 1915 in Kingston, New York, to Frederick J. Haas and Amanda Lange Haas. His father was a railroad clerk. His mother attended to the household and ran a small grocery store. Mr. Haas had one older sister, Edith Marie Kelder. To help earn his way through school, Mr. Haas was a violinist and a singer with orchestras and bands. Mr. Haas married Mary Frances Diedrick on August 30, 1936 in Jersey City, New Jersey. The two had met at a church social when they were in college. Mr. Haas attended Rider College in New Jersey, receiving his B.S. in Business in 1934. He later attended graduate school at the University of Texas and received one of the first Certified Public Accountant certifications in the state of Texas. In 1976, Rider College awarded Mr. Haas an Honorary Doctor of Laws. After graduation, Mr. Haas worked as an office boy for the Arthur Andersen accounting firm in New York City. In 1937, he was moved to Houston, Texas, where he helped open the offices of Arthur Andersen and Company. Mr. Haas handwrote the first audit issued by the office. For several years, Mr. and Mrs. Haas traveled south and east Texas auditing companies. He then accepted a position with La Gloria Oil and Gas Corporation, and the family moved to Corpus Christi. Mr. Haas held several positions with La Gloria, eventually becoming Vice President, Treasurer, and Director. Texas Eastern Corporation purchased La Gloria in 1954, and Mr. Haas served as its Administrative Vice President. After leaving Texas Eastern, he founded and served as president of Prado Oil and Gas Company and later Corpus Christi Oil and Gas Company. While head of CC Oil and Gas, he pioneered the use of computerized analysis of seismic data (then called the bright spot theory) for independent oil operations, resulting in the discovery of one of the largest gas fields (El Gordo) offshore of the Texas Gulf Coast at that time. The University of Texas Business School did a case study on the business aspects of this venture which was used for many years as an example of outstanding entrepreneurship. During his career, Mr. Haas also founded and served as Chairman of the Board and President of Wiltex Corporation, Garland Company, and Citronelle Oil and Gas Company. In addition, Mr. Haas was appointed to the Board of Directors of numerous companies, including: Algonquin Gas Transmission Company, Great Southern Chemical Corporation, Gas Gathering Company, United Gas Corporation, First State Bank of Corpus Christi, Guaranty National Bank and Trust, Padre Island Investment Corporation, Southern Petroleum Exploration, Inc., The Wiser Oil Company, Metalsales Corporation, Silver Lake Ranches, Inc., Lo-Vaca Gathering Company, Gulf-Southwest Capital Corporation, American National Insurance Company, First Texas Financial Corporation, First Texas Savings Association of Corpus Christi, Kaneb Services, Inc., Houston Natural Gas Corporation, Texas Commerce Bancshares, Inc., Corpus Christi National Bank, and Nations Bank (Corpus Christi). Mr. Haas also participated in real estate projects, managed the financial affairs of a few close family friends, was a Limited Partner with Salomon Brothers. He maintained memberships with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, the All American Wildcatters Association, and the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Haas attributed his success in life to being lucky and working hard. He believed that he had a responsibility to return to the community the gifts that he had received from it, and to support the community with civic activities and community service. To that end, Mr. and Mrs. Haas established the Paul and Mary Haas Foundation in 1954. Offering college scholarships was an important area of the Foundations work, and more than 1000 students have benefited from Foundation funding. Mr. Haas served in various capacities for the Coastal Bend Community Foundation, the Commission on Private Philanthropy and Public Needs, the Conference of Southwest Foundations, the Council on Foundations, the Foundations Center, the Moody Foundation, The Museum of Northern Arizona, the Robert T. Wilson Foundation, and the Sparks Foundation. He also served on the Board of Visitors and as the Vice Chairman for the Executive Committee and the Professional Excellence Committee for The University Cancer Foundation of M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute. Mr. Haas was a strong supporter of public education. From 1951 through 1958, Mr. Haas served as President and Trustee of the Corpus Christi Independent School District. While he was president of the school board, Corpus Christi schools were racially integrated peacefully and without public furor. In 1962, he became a member and Vice-Chairman of the Texas State Board of Education and served with that board until 1972. He also served as the Texas Representative to the White House Conference on Education, the Commissioner of the Education Commission of the States, Vice Chairman of the Governors Committee for Education, Director of the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, Chairman of the Committee on Investing the Texas Permanent School Fund, member of the Advisory Committee to the Texas School Board on investing the Permanent School Fund, and member of the Advisory Council of the University of Texas College of Business Administration Foundation. In addition, Mr. Haas served as a Trustee of Rider College from 1959 through 1967. Of particular pride to Mr. Haas and his family was the naming of the Paul R. Haas Middle School in Corpus Christi in 1968. Mr. Haas worked towards the development and continued economic success of Corpus Christi. He was President of the Corpus Christi Community Chest, Vice President of the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the 1964 Corpus Christi Civic Improvement Bond Campaign, and actively participated in the Area Development Committee and the Charter Committee of Corpus Christi, among others. Mr. Haas was a founding member of Parkway Presbyterian Church in Corpus Christi and was devoted to its ministry. He served on the committee that approved plans for the church in the round structure, which was innovative at the time. Mr. Haas was also on a pastor search committee and served as a Deacon and a Ruling Elder. Mr. Haas led an active social life, and in his free time enjoyed bird hunting and fishing. He played golf on Saturday mornings with friends at the Corpus Christi Country Club, where he served as a Director and Officer; he was also a member of the Rotary Club. Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 4, 2008 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at Seaside Funeral Home. A Memorial Service will be held at 4:00 p.m., on Friday, December 5, 2008 at Parkway Presbyterian Church. The family extends its special thanks to the caregivers and employees who have provided generous and thoughtful care to both Mr. and Mrs. Haas over the years. The family asks that contributions in lieu of flowers be sent to The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Parkway Presbyterian Church or the charity of your choice.