Melvin Ray Haas was born on 26 October 1932 in Ft. Worth, Tarrant Co., TX. He married Gwendolyn Baumgardner on 18 February 1954 in Tarrant Co., TX, license date. He died on 4 August 2006 in Tarrant Co., TX,
Obituary -- Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas, Monday, 7 AUG 2006, p.21 (Genealogybank.com):
FORT WORTH -- Melvin R. Haas, Sr., 73, passed away Friday, Aug. 4, 2006, surrounded by his family.
Memorial service: noon Tuesday at University United Methodist Church, 2416 W. Berry St., Fort Worth. Burial: private. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Greenwood Funeral Home.
Memorials: may be sent to Leukemia Society of America, 12850 Spurling Drive, Suite 190, Dallas 75230; M.D. Anderson Hospital, 1515 Holcombe, Houston 77030; or University United Methodist Church.
Melvin was born Oct. 26, 1932, in Fort Worth. He was an active and lifelong resident of Fort Worth. He was co-owner of Skyline Industries, along with his two partners, Joe Cates and Jack Roach.
Melvin was an aviation enthusiast from childhood. He often went with his grandfather to local airfields just to watch the takeoffs and landings. It is no surprise that after his business was established in 1960, he became a private pilot and was thrilled to fly his family and friendds on vacations in the company plane.
Melvin served on many civic and charitable boards. Among those were chairman of the Air Power Council, president of the Aviation Heritage Association, founder and president for 13 years of the Fort Worth International Air show. This show, assisted by scores of volunteers, became one of the largest air shows in the United States.
He was chairman of the Astronaut Alan Bean Day Ticker Tape Parade and served as chairman of the Fort Worth Aviation Board and on the board of Colonial Country Club and he was a 25-year volunteer for the Colonial Golf Tournament.
In past years he served on the board and as a Sunday school teacher at University Methodist Church.
Melvin loved his family and friends and was never happier than when he was surrounded by them on holidays and special occasions.
He will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.
Survivors: Loving wife of over 50 years, Gwen; children, Debra Sutton and husband, Robert, Melvin Haas Jr. and wife, Laura and daughter Michelle Haas; grandchildren, Russell Sebastian and wife, Amber, Courtney Sebastian and Keith Sebastian and wife, Clarissa, Thomas Haas and Madelyn Haas; great-grandchildren, Jacob Beyer and Gibson Beyer; sisters, Myrle Knox and Mary Ann Sawvell; cousins, Don Jeter and wife, Jeannie and Ted Jeter; sisters-in-law Norma Brown and husband, Jerry and Linda Baumgardner, and numerous other dear nieces and nephews and extended-family members.