Dennis J.A. Haas

1940 - 2016

(News story) Dennis J.A. Haas, who applied business discipline to the bakeries he owned, first in downtown Toledo and, since the late 1980s, his shop in Oregon, died Thursday in University of Toledo Medical Center, the former Medical College of Ohio Hospital. He was 75.

Mr. Haas of South Toledo had dealt with a heart ailment for two years, said his son, Andrew. The elder Mr. Haas remained involved in the bakery.

"He took care of all the business end, from equipment replacement to the books and managing the affairs of running the business," said his son, a baker who has operated Haas Bakery on Starr Avenue.

Mr. Haas in his youth worked with Maurice Wixey at Wixey Bakery on Glendale Avenue.

"Our families were real close. We lived across the street from one another," said Dennis Wixey, a childhood friend, Maurice's son, and third-generation owner of Wixey Bakery. "That's where he learned, from my dad."

Mr. Wixey credited his friend's success to "hard work."

"And he loved it, as I do," Mr. Wixey said.

After Army service stateside and in Germany, Mr. Haas was a teller for the former Toledo Trust Co. and sold insurance for Connecticut Mutual Life.

"He always wanted a bakery," said his son, who as a child went with Mr. Haas to Wixey on Friday nights to help out and fill doughnuts.

"That's how I got into it," his son said.

Mr. Haas in the late 1970s found an available, though filthy, storefront on North Superior Street downtown, cleaned it to health department standards, and with equipment bought from a closed Fremont, Ind., bakery, opened Denny's Doughnook. He later moved next door and with expanded offerings created Haas Bakery, moving across the street a few years later because the building was being demolished.

Meanwhile, he opened a store on the first-floor, riverside level of Fifth Third Center at One SeaGate, then the headquarters of Owens-Illinois Inc. In 1988, he negotiated the purchase of the Cubberly family's Eastwood Bakery in Oregon. His son, with his work background and technical education, oversaw the baking operation of what was called Haas Eastwood Bakery for several years.

Mr. Haas touted the bakery's authentic Dresden stollen - a traditional Christmas bread - and its Polish and Hungarian pastries, its bread and cakes. He also knew of many who went broke trying to fulfill the dream of bakery ownership. A favorite saying, his son recalled, was, " 'The least important thing in running a great bakery is being a good baker.'

"He knew when not to be wasteful and to save for the future and survive," his son said.

He was born Aug. 9, 1940, to Olga and Louis Haas and was a 1958 graduate of Libbey High School.

Surviving are his wife, Carol, whom he married Nov. 2, 1962; son, Andrew; daughter, Christine Okapal; sister, Sharon Lamour, and four grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 3-8 p.m. Sunday in Newcomer Funeral Home on Heatherdowns Boulevard and at 10 a.m. Monday in Bethel Assembly of God in Perrysburg, where services will be at 11 a.m. Monday.

The family suggests tributes to the church, where he was a member.

This is a news story by Mark Zaborney. Contact him at mzaborney@theblade.com or 419-724-6182.