DOVER, Del.—Harry F. Bader, who held a variety of key posts at several companies in more than five decades in the rubber latex industry, died on March 27 at the age of 88.
A former Navy corpsman who served in the South Pacific during World War II, he launched his career in 1951 after he graduated from Drexel University in Philadelphia.
During the next 55 years he worked for Playtex, Seiberling Latex, Ansell, Spanel International, ILC Dover and Akron Rubber Development Laboratories. He helped launch numerous latex dipping plants in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Puerto Rico, Thailand, Bolivia and the Philippines.
He also served as a U.S. delegate and representative for several latex trade organizations, authored a regular column for the magazine Rubber Asia, and was considered an expert and top problem solver within the rubber latex industry.
Bader was the only American is a group that founded the Scottish Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1957 and later served as its third president.
During an interview at an International Latex Conference in 2006, Bader said, "It's a pleasant surprise to me that I'm still around." He had recently officially retired from Akron Rubber Development Laboratory after 16 years as vice president of latex services with the firm.
But he didn't actually retire. Instead, he opened a small consulting firm in Dover, where he and his wife Marge lived. He also remained active on three ASTM International committees.
He was preceded in death by his parents and daughter, Holly Bader. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Marge; his son Carl and wife Debbie of Kents Store, Va.; and daughter Heather Cregar and husband Eddie of Dover.
Memorial donations can be made to Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary, 19022 Shingle Point Road., Georgetown, Del. 19969.