GREENFIELD — Leonard Haines was known as the “watch whisperer” by some, as a generous philanthropist by others, and as an avid antique tractor lover by those who shared his passion.
But to one woman, he was a husband, a co-worker and a best friend.
On Tuesday, Betsy Haines said goodbye to the man who had been nearly constantly by her side for the past 52 years.
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The couple worked side by side at Miller’s Jewelry in Greenfield for more than 35 years until Haines retired around 2015, although he was still an active presence at the family business.
“For as long as he was working, we were pretty much together 24/7,” Betsy Haines said.
The well-liked, well-known businessman died Tuesday at the age of 73, after suffering a stroke on May 31.
His mother, Grace Haines, suffered a fatal stroke just the month before at the age of 96.
Her son Leonard left a lasting legacy in the Greenfield community, where he was known as a farmer, a businessman and a devoted father to two kids.
Haines met his future wife at a church function in 1964.
“They met for the first time on June 21, which was Father’s Day, so it’s kind of ironic that his (funeral) visitation is June 21, which is Father’s Day,” said his only daughter, Sherry Haines.
Within a few years of meeting, Haines would make Betsy his bride, and the couple would raise their two children on a small 10-acre farm in Greenfield, where they grew corn and soybeans and had a few cows.
In 1979, he joined the staff at Miller’s Jewelry, the Greenfield jewelry shop his wife’s parents had opened in 1959, and eventually became co-owner.
It was there that he worked nearly every day alongside his wife, building a reputation as an expert clock maker and repairman.
Haines was also known for being a longtime member of the Rotary Club of Greenfield, and for being especially passionate about the club’s Gift of Life campaign, which is dedicated to helping children with heart disease and their families around the world.
“He loved all the things that Rotary does to help out the community,” Sherry recalled.
He loved donating auction items for the local club’s annual Gift of Life event, to help raise as much money as possible to help children in need. He was an active member of the Greenfield club for nearly 25 years.
“Leonard was a shining example of Rotary’s motto: ‘Service Above Self.’ His selfless generosity to Rotary and Rotary’s Gift of Life immeasurably benefited the community of Greenfield and children around the world,” club president Aaron Greenwalt said.
“He put his faith into action daily and provided a positive example for those around him. We will miss his quiet confidence and strength, his kindness, his smile and most of all, his friendship. He was an amazing guy,” Greenwalt said.
Fellow Rotarian Monica Price Kowaleski agreed, posting a tribute to Haines on Facebook shortly after his death.
“Time stands still for all of us who knew Leonard Haines,” she wrote, summoning a phrase to honor his clock-making skills.
“He was an extremely talented, generous, yet such a humble soul… I will treasure the glimpses of his heart that I saw through Leonard’s overwhelming love and generosity to his wife, children, grandchildren, his community and the children of the world,” she continued.
Out of all his qualities, Sherry Haines’ favorite part about her dad was the dynamic he shared with her mom.
“It was great just watching them work together and live together and show their love for one another,” said Haines, who started working at the family’s jewelry shop when she was just 8 years old.
She often heard customers marvel at her dad’s ability to fix broken watches and clocks.
“He always liked to figure out how to solve problems. He loved working with the mechanics of things, figuring out how things worked,” she said.
Haines and his son, Greg Haines, would spend hours restoring antique tractors, a hobby he later shared with Sherry’s son.
“Jewelry was his job, but tractors and farming was his passion,” his daughter said.
Haines loved going to antique tractor shows, and had a habit of buying a vintage piece of equipment from time to time. “He said he liked them better because the old ones were built better and were easier to fix,” his daughter said.
His favorite tractor was an old John Deere he bought from his grandfather, who had bought it in the 1950s.
“He could always find a reason to find a tractor, but that was the one with the most sentimental value,” his wife recalled.
If sentimental is one word to describe Leonard Haines, his daughter could think of many more to go along with it: caring, generous, humble, thoughtful, honorable and kind.
“That about sums him up,” she said.
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Services for Leonard Haines will be at 10 a.m. Monday, June 22, at Stillinger Family Funeral Home, 1780 W. Main St., with calling from 2–6 p.m. Sunday, June 21.
His obituary is online at www.greenfieldreporter.com and at www.stillingerfamily.com, where friends may read and share tributes.
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