Four People Inducted Into HHS Hall Of Fame 2019

HAVRE DE GRACE, MD — Havre de Grace High School is inducting four people into its hall of fame Friday, Oct. 11. The annual ceremony is scheduled as part of homecoming festivities.

The Havre de Grace Hall of Fame Review Committee made up of community members, alumni, staff and school administrators helped select the nominees.

These individuals were inducted into the Havre de Grace Hall of Fame for 2019:

• Ted Henricks, class of 1973, Havre de Grace High School
• Carol Murray McGowan, class of 1961, Havre de Grace High School
• Grafton O’Neil Sconion Jr., class of 1964, Havre de Grace Consolidated School
• Virginia Wetter, Havre de Grace High School

The Havre de Grace High School Hall of Fame seeks to recognize alumni who have had a positive impact on society and is a strong role model for youthm exemplify the school motto “Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve" and make extraordinary contributions to their field.

Nominations to the HHS Hall of Fame are accepted year-round.

Watch the ceremony:

The Havre de Grace Hall of Fame Review Committee provided the following information about the 2019 inductees:

Ted Henricks, class of 1973
Ted was a member of the National Honor Society, the Student Council, Athletic Association and Interact Club as well as Warriors football while at HHS and was also in school plays. He went on to earn his bachelor's degree in mass communications at Towson in 1997 then worked for The Aegis until his retirement in 2013. During his time at The Aegis, the Havre de Grace Hall of Fame organizers said received several awards, including one in 1998 for a special section about the Havre de Grace Promenade.

In 2004, he was honored by the Harford County government for his years of volunteer service with youth programs. Ted was an unpaid volunteer coach with Havre de Grace High School sports teams for eight years. He was a coach with the Havre de Grace High School Regional Champion baseball team in 1989, head coach of the 2001 JV softball team, a coach of the JV softball team in 2006 and a coach of the varsity softball team from 2007-2011. Ted has been an adult volunteer leader with the Havre de Grace Little League for the past 42 years and counting. He has been a member of the Board of Directors serving continuously in various positions since 1981. He was voted into the Havre de Grace Little League Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2017, he was honored with having the softball diamond at Stancill Field renamed Ted Hendricks Field. In 1993 and 1994, Ted was President of Havre de Grace Little League and has served many years in various Vice President positions with the League. He has been a volunteer team manager for most of his 42-plus years in the League, serving from 1978-1987, from 1996-2012 and from 2014 to the present. For many of those years he served as volunteer manager for numerous all-star teams, winning District and State Championships in 2008 and 2009, taking those two teams to the East Region in Worcester, Massachusetts. From 2005 to the present, Ted has been an adult volunteer leader of the Havre de Grace Chiefs Girls’ Travel Softball program.

In 2005, he co-founded with Ernie Grady, the Havre de Grace Chiefs, using the name to pay homage to the history of the city’s baseball team of the 1940s and ’50s. The program was formed and operated to give Havre de Grace area girls the opportunity to play travel softball without any direct costs to their families. All money to pay tournament fees and insurance and to buy uniforms is donated by the community during various fundraisers throughout the year. The Chiefs have three teams—18U, 16U and 14 U – that compete in various tournaments and leagues in the region. The program has not only been a success financially raising money to support teams so the kids can play free, but also has become a success on the field, winning various tournaments and league championships. Ted managed the Havre de Grace Chiefs to the 18U ASA State Championship in 2011 and the Havre de Grace Chiefs to the 16U State Championship in 2007.

Ted’s personal life is also deeply tied to Havre de Grace. In 1983, he married Pat Lewis, his HHS sweetheart, who is 1975 graduate and 1974 Homecoming Queen. Pat has been a long-time speech pathologist at Meadowvale Elementary School. They have two daughters—Justine Hendricks, a 2003 HHS graduate and Taylor Hendricks, a 2009 HHS graduate. Ted continues to be a shining example of ourschool’s motto: “Enter to Learn; Leave to Serve.”

Carol Murray McGowan, class of 1961
Carol came from humble beginnings being the fifth of six Murray siblings. She attended grades one through 12 in Havre de Grace schools. She played the violin, lettered in field hockey, was elected to May court, co-starred in class plays, was a member of the debate team, served as senior class treasurer and was named Most Likely to Succeed. Upon graduation, Carol enrolled at Towson State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree. She taught English at Bohemia Manor High School and later at Havre de Grace High School. She received a Master of Psychology degree from the University of Maryland and taught college level literature and English. Carol married, moved to North Carolina, and
while raising two sons, continued her education. She was elected to Phi Kappa Phi sorority at Winthrop College. While at Duke Power Company, she spearheaded a project to promote more women through on-the-job training. Following divorce, Carol returned to Maryland, remarried and received her lawdegree from the University of Maryland. She was appointed to the Maryland Racing Commission by then Gov. William Donald Schaefer where she served for eight years. She worked as an Assistant State's Attorney, prosecuting some or Maryland’s worst offenders. Later as a criminal defense attorney in her own practice, she defended them, believing strongly in the criminal justice system where everyone deserves a fair trial and is innocent until proven otherwise. Carol became co-director of Maryland NewDirections, an organization devoted to providing development means for girls and women entering or re-entering the work force. MND focused on skills enhancement, interviewing techniques and mentoring others. She was publicly honored for her work with the organization.
Fulfilling a long-time desire to return to her roots, Carol moved back to Havre de Grace in 2009. When her husband died later that year, she explored entrepreneurial and philanthropic projects in which she felt she could do the most good. Her physical challenges did not stop her from joining and supporting groups 100 %. She joined the Susquehanna Museum at the Lock House, soon became its president and seeing the need created a two-year capital Restoration Challenge. Carol committed to matching all donation up to $50,000 over that two-year window. Sponsored to join the Soroptimists International, she became a member and invested herself in their main mission of providing scholarships to graduating high school seniors in Harford County.

Carol became one of the five directors of the Havre de Grace High School Class of 1961 Memorial Scholarship Fund to honor departed classmates, the only one ever created and continued today by an alumni class. She became a vestry member of St. John’s Episcopal Church and faithfully served as a valuable resource of ideas and legal guidance. Carol also pledged and donated funds significantly, assisting in extensive renovations to the church. Carol personally prepared 110 meals in her own kitchen to be served to the needy at the church food cupboard. Always interested in and supportive of her local community, Carol joined the Alliance in order to contribute to the encouragement of downtown commercial development and support.

Carol fought the good fight for what was important, fair and right. Her lifelong passion centered on education our young people, ending discrimination of every kind, preserving our history and addressing issues head-on. The latter is no better illustrated than her determination to beat the odds with her health issues. The neuropathy that slowly stole her mobility was second to the challenge that she faced after major surgery in April 2018. She fought bravely and with a courage reminiscent of a WWII soldier. During her 13-month hospitalization, Carol amazed her doctors and inspired all with her spirit to endure. She lost her battle June 4, 2019, and in the end, she felt the peace that comes from a job well-done and a life well-lived. She loved Havre de Grace, was proud of her City and strived to make it better for all of us. Carol’s outstanding example to her family and friends had its origin in her humble roots right here in Havre de Grace. From the time she first volunteered to help someone as a youth and encouraged peers and siblings to take education seriously to the first time she donated her time, energy and money to help others, she set the example. Carol absolutely lived “Enter to Learn; Leave to Serve.”

Grafton O’Neil Sconion Jr., class of 1964, Havre de Grace Consolidated School
During high school, Grafton enjoyed playing basketball and actively participated in track and field events. In 1963, he won the State Shot Put Championship for Colored (Consolidated) Schools. After graduation Grafton continued his education at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. He subsequently joined the United State Naval Reserves. While fulfilling his Navy obligation, Grafton worked as a teacher’s assistant and track and field coach at Havre de Grace High School. During his active duty status, he was stationed at the United States Naval Base in Norfolk, Virginia, and served two tours of duty traveling the Mediterranean Sea.

After serving in the Navy, Grafton began a long career working as a branch manager of Household Finance Corporation. The 1970s and 1980s were a time when discrimination in banking and finance was the norm. Minorities were denied credit on a wholesale basis or if they were able to get loans or financing for furniture, cars, education or homes, many times interest rates were very high. Grafton realized that as Branch Manager for an international finance company, he was often able to make a difference. During his time in this position, he counseled, taught and prayed for families that he stepped out on a limb to extend credit for children’s education, furniture for homes, vehicle purchases and vacations that some families could never have afforded if not for Grafton’s willingness to take a chance on them. He sympathized with pains and injustices of others and sought to ease their pain, give a kind word, or share his wisdom to help someone else’s life be better than it was. He was moved with compassion and did what he could, shared what he had and supported many non-profit organizations to ease the hardship of those who were less fortunate or fell on hard times.

Grafton’s second military career began in July 1985. He held various positions
throughout his 27 years of service in the Army National Guard, retiring in September 2006 as a Master Sergeant. He earned his associate's degree while balancing his military duties in the Army.

On many occasions Grafton would take on the role of guidance counselor to young men if there was not a male role model in that young man’s life. He is credited with counseling young men and women to join the military and take advantage of all the opportunities that it offered them. Grafton treasured timeless moments attending the sporting events of his grandchildren and sharing his wisdom that he acquired through his personal life lessons. He believed in making investments in the lives of the people he loved dearly or that society labeled as “less than desirable.”

Grafton was always there for his family and friends. If they needed money to buy food or pay a bill, he would reach into his pocket and give his last dollar. If they needed help moving to another home, he was there taking an active role coordinating the move. He had an insatiable appetite for learning and loved to read and share what he learned with others. One of his favorite poems was “I’ve Learned” written by Maya Angelou. His favorite lines are the last two stanzas which read, ‘I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one. I’ve
learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn. I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, they will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Even as Grafton was on his sick bed in the hospital, he was making sure that the needs of others were being met. He was a “giver” and found great joy in helping others giving no thought for his own welfare or comfort. The countless people whose lives are better as a result of knowing him will never “forget how he made them feel.”

Virginia Wetter
Born in 1919, Virginia was a proud graduate of Havre de Grace High School and was the first in her family to graduate from college. But that was just one of the many firsts she paved in her life. At age 11, Virginia started the very first Girl Scout troop in Harford County in 1930. In 1948, along with her husband, Jason Pate, they opened the first radio broadcast station between Baltimore and Wilmington. When her husband passed away in 1960, she became the chairman and CEO. She was one of only five women nationwide to manage a broadcast operation.

Early on, she recognized the potential of cable television and she secured the cable franchise for Harford County which was the beginning of what would become Comcast. Virginia was the first woman elected to the Radio Board of the National Association of Broadcasters. She was the first woman president of the Maryland-DC-Delaware Broadcasters Association and the national president of American Women in Radio and Television. In addition, Virginia was the first woman to be accepted at Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Program for broadcast executives. She worked actively at the national policy level, testifying before the FCC and Congress. She met with Presidents, Prime Ministers, members of Congress and royalty as a spokesperson for broadcast integrity. Among the many prestigious awards Virginia received throughout her life was being honored as a “Giant of Broadcasting and Electronic Arts” which recognized her distinguished excellence on behalf of the industry.

In addition to her professional life, Virginia was an inspirational leader in our community. She spent 30 years in the field of education policy making through her appointments to the Harford County Board of Education and the Harford Community College Board of Trustees, serving as chair of both boards. She served as President of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education, member of the Harford Community College Foundation Board and as an honorary member of the Maryland Congress of Parents and Teachers. At various times, Virginia served as the Director of the Heart Association, the Cancer Society, the United Way, the Blood Bank, the APG Joint Military/Civilian Advisory Committee, the Committee to Promote the Employment of the Physically Handicapped and she was a member of the Susquehanna Council of Girl Scouts. Virginia was a very active member of St. John’s Episcopal Church where she served as a member of the Vestry. She and her family recently donated a new organ to the church, yet another legacy.

Virginia was always an incredible woman. She was a role model throughout her life, but most importantly she was the matriarch and mentor for her children and grandchildren whom she taught to live well, to live responsibly and to give back to life. Virginia, a prominent life-long resident of Havre de Grace, died in her home at the age of 99 on September 25, 2018. Her legacy will endure for ages.