John R. Haines

DELMAR – John R. Haines of Delmar, NY and East Orleans, MA died on November 1, 2017 at Our Lady of Mercy Life Center in Guilderland, NY. He was born in 1929 in Mount Holly, NJ, the son of Kathryn Hitchings and J. Ralph Haines and grew up in Tabernacle, NJ before moving to Ocean City, NJ to attend high school. He then entered Springfield College in MA and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. Following his undergraduate years, John joined the U.S. Army to serve his country during the Korean War. John began his teaching career as a science teacher and coach at Randolph High School in Vermont. He returned to Springfield College to earn a master's degree and was appointed an assistant professor in physical education. From there, John moved to New York City to enter Columbia University Teachers College where he was awarded a doctor of education degree in 1962. John's first position in administration was at Union College in Schenectady, NY as an assistant to the President which led to his appointment as the tenth president of Monticello College in Godfrey, Illinois. He resigned the presidency in 1966 for the opportunity to work for the NY State Department of Education where he became the Director of Higher Education Management Services, an office that provided general consultation to colleges in NY. In 1980, John resigned from SED and established a consulting firm where he continued to work with colleges and universities. His contracts included time with schools in South Korea, Taiwan, Israel, Hong Kong and Moscow. After thirty-five years, John closed his corporation in 2015. In addition to his business, John enjoyed collecting antique clocks and refinishing country furniture. He was an avid gardener who grew bumper crops in both NY and MA and loved making homemade soups. He also made time to help his son live life to its fullest and they were two guys who never missed a chance to be together. John is survived by his wife of sixty-five years, Marguerite Haines, and a daughter and son-in-law, Amanda Haines and Barry McManus of Sandwich, MA and Brisbane, Australia. In 2015 John was predeceased by his beloved son, John R. Haines, III, who shared his father's love of good food, Cape Cod and basketball. The family would like to thank the caring nurses and staff at Our Lady of Mercy where John lived since March 2017. They did much to improve his quality of life especially during his final days. A memorial service for the family is planned for the Spring at the Jr. Mechanic Cemetery in Tabernacle, NJ.