George F. Haines Jr., CCLL past president

George F. Haines Jr., 96, died Jan. 14, 2018, at Kirkland Village, Bethlehem. Born in Tonawanda, N.Y., he was a son of the late Rev. George F. and Bertha (Burns) Haines Sr. He was the husband of the late LaVerne (Francis) Haines.

He was a 1943 graduate of Bucknell University, where he was inducted into the 1980 Bucknell Athletic Hall of Fame as the leading scorer of the Eastern Collegiate Basketball League. He was the Associated Press selection to the All- Pennsylvania first team in 1942. He played professional basketball for the Pittsburgh Raiders in 1944-1945

He earned a master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh. He was a Fellow at the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research, Pittsburgh.

He was a chemical engineer. He conducted synthetic rubber research for the U.S. Government. He worked for Hemeon Associates where he concentrated on air and water pollution control; and taught at the University of Pittsburgh. He conducted and managed many air and water pollution projects for Bethlehem Steel Corporation from 1960 until he retired in 1982.

He assisted in the creation of Bethlehem’s City Line Little League in 1960, and was a member and, in 1993, the president, of the CCLL board of directors. He and his wife LaVerne received a 1998 Christian Statesman Award at the First Baptist Church of Bethlehem.

He is survived by a daughter, Holly and her husband Bruce Kent of Bethlehem; a son George F. III and his wife Karen of Shawnee, Ok.; and six grandchildren, Wesley, Allison, Sarah, Daniel, Kristopher, and Drew.

He was predeceased by a brother, William R. Haines.

Contributions may be made to First Baptist Church, 3235 Linden St., Bethlehem, PA 18017; or to Bucknell University, c/o Gift Processing, Bucknell University, 301 Market Street, Suite #2, Lewisburg, PA 17837.

Arrangements were made by Cantelmi Long Funeral Home Inc., Bethlehem.