| Obituary | Bruce F. DeHaas, age 85, of 106 Church St., Wyalusing, PA (formerly of California City, CA) passed away peacefully at his home Tuesday morning, November 4, 2014 after battling leukemia and lymphoma for 30 years. Bruce was born on May 27, 1929 in Marquette, MI the son of the late Eugene and Jean Mason DeHaas.
He was a graduate of University High School class of 1948 in Los Angeles, CA. He later attended UCLA and Cal-Berkley as a civil engineering major but left college prior to the end of his final semester to serve his country during the Korean Conflict in the US Air Force as a fighter jet and helicopter pilot until his discharge in 1956 having attained the rank of First Lieutenant. After his military service, Bruce flew helicopters for LA Airways until the late 1950’s. He then went on to become one of the founders of SFO Airlines, a helicopter airline that operated out of San Francisco and Oakland, CA. Bruce retired from flying in 1976 with over 23,000 hours in the air.
Bruce lived in many parts of California, including Los Angeles and the Bay area. He and his wife Earlene, whom he married on January 9, 1968 moved to California City in the Mojave Desert. There he built and maintained a beautiful home and tinkered with various cars, motorcycles, and dirt bikes (and maybe a dune buggy here or there). He came out of retirement and worked into his 80’s with the Honda Motor Company to test drive cars and motorcycles and was given the “One Million Mile Safety Award” for his skills in driving.
He is survived by his wife, Earlene A. DeHaas of Wyalusing, PA; children Louis Douglas Germann and his wife Melanie of Phoenix, AZ, Denise Ann Lakner of Pleasanton, CA, and Jean Elizabeth Woodruff and her husband Christopher of Wyalusing, PA; his grandchildren Stephanie Lord and her husband Bradley of Tucson, AZ, Jennifer Lakner of Pleasanton, CA, Adam Woodruff of Wyalusing, PA, Aaron Woodruff of Wyalusing, PA and Matthew Woodruff of Wyalusing, PA; his brother Kenneth DeHaas of Ashland, OR; as well as many nieces and nephews. Besides his parents he was preceded in death by his first wife Marjean VanBlaricom, his brother David DeHaas, and his son-in-law Marc Lakner.
A memorial service will be held at a later date at the convenience of the family. Arrangements were entrusted with Sheldon Funeral Homes, 155 Church St., Wyalusing, PA. Online condolences may be made at www.sheldonfuneralhomes.com. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in Bruce’s name to the Bradford County Relay for Life, c/o Amy Huffman-PS Bank, PO Box 217, Wyalusing, PA 18853. |
