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George W. Haines, 79, of Madison and Crescent Beach, Niantic, died Nov. 2 of pancreatic cancer. George was born in Baltimore, Maryland on July 12, 1941, a son of the late Dr. Henry L. Haines and Florence E, Haines.

He grew up in Stonington and graduated from Pine Point School there. He was a member of The Gunnery class of 1960. After attending Hobart College, he graduated from Mitchell College and the University of Pittsburg. In 1967 he received an MBA with honors from the Boston University Questrom School of Business.

George’s early career was in the financial services industry. In the 1980s, a novel idea sparked a total career change. He teamed up with two partners to research the feasibility of replacing stone and pipe in onsite septic systems with a plastic chamber system. The idea became a reality in 1987. George became cofounder of Infiltrator Systems, Inc., of Old Saybrook to manufacture and sell product nationwide, revolutionizing the industry.

He leaves his wife of 53 years, Emily (Lee) Braman Haines, and two children, Greg of Portland, Oregon and Melissa of Madison. He is also survived by a brother Henry of Dennis, Massachusetts, and a sister, Virginia of Lake Oswego, Oregon; a brother-in-law, John Braman of Santa Fe, New Mexico; and a sister-in-law, Judith Ehret of Chester.

After retirement, George and Lee spent many winters in Sanibel, Florida where George, an avid bicycle rider, had an almost daily routine of riding from one end of the island to the other. Another of his lifelong passions was photography, which he later combined with a newer interest in birding. An avid reader of nonfiction, he was never without a book. He was a supporter and member of Big Arts and Sanibel Captiva Audubon Society.

Happiest by the ocean, George made yearly windsurfing trips to Cape Hatteras with friends. Summers were spent at his cottage on Niantic Bay, where he loved small boat sailing as well as windsurfing.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to The Madison Land Conservation Trust, Connecticut Hospice, or to a charity of ones choice. Services will be private. For his online obituary, please visit www.swanfuneralhomemadison.com.