Dennis Haas

Longtime Friend of Chaminade Leaves Behind a Lasting Legacy

by Lee Ann Metivier, Director of Development, Leadership Giving and Special Initiatives

He often had a camera in hand, and he always had a quiet way about him. He was Dennis Haas, and he humbly and faithfully served Chaminade College Preparatory for 48 years.

More than four decades’ worth of alumni, parents, and employees built lasting connections with Dennis, and the school community was deeply saddened to learn of his passing on February 17, 2017. Dennis was 70-years-old, and he was a true friend.

His loyalty to Chaminade carried forward after February 17, when several months later, his brother, Loren Haas, contacted the school with the news that it had been Dennis’ wish to make a philanthropic contribution through a planned gift. By September an endowed fund known as the Dennis N. Haas Financial Aid Endowment was established at Chaminade because of Dennis’ dedication to and love for the school. The fund will provide tuition assistance to a student during his or her four-year high school experience at Chaminade, and will allow Dennis’ name and memory to live on in perpetuity. In addition, in honor of Dennis’ generous support of the school, the Tutor Center scene shop will be named in his memory.

Dennis joined the Chaminade family as a Marianist brother in the fall of 1969, and by the 1970-1971 school year, he was the campus manager of the West Hills campus. He served as a Marianist from 1965 to 1974. Dennis remained a fixture at Chaminade even when he was not a school employee (he was a customer hardware technical support representative for IBM after he graduated from Pierce College.) He led Kairos retreats, served as a moderator for LIFE workshops, chaperoned various student activities, and helped the Advancement Office with archives and events. Many members of the Chaminade family will remember him for the pictures he took, and the time he spent with the West Hills drama department. The 1988 yearbook was dedicated to him, “The Man with the Camera.”

A 1964 graduate of Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco, Dennis’ physics teacher was former Chaminade President, Fr. Allen DeLong. After graduating from Riordan, Dennis entered the Marianist religious community, and moved to Cupertino. He came to Chaminade by way of Honolulu Trade Tech, where he majored in carpentry.

On Friday, February 17, 1989, Dennis was honored as one of Chaminade’s first founders during Mass. He has left an indelible mark on the school family through his years of service, his uniquely simple and humble ways, and now his incredible philanthropy.