Harold Vincent Connolly
1 August 1931 - 18 August 2010
From www.hammerthrow.com:
Wednesday marked the passing of the greatest figure in the history of hammer throwing: Olympic gold medalist Harold Connolly passed away. Harold, who founded this site over a decade ago and still coordinated it until his death, had as deep a love for the hammer throw as anyone. His involvement in the event spanned over six decades from starting the event as a student at Boston College to guiding American teens to start a domestic resurgence in the event. After a career that included four Olympic Games Harold continued his career as a successful coach, guiding such greats as Kevin McMahon. As he got older, his focus shifted more and more to youth throwers, as he knew the key to getting another American on the podium started with teaching more kids the event and spreading it to new people. For the past decade, Harold has been conducting clinics across the country, advocating for the inclusion of the hammer throw at various USATF youth events, and starting the USATF Youth Hammer Throw Training Grant Fund, which awarded over $6,000 to youth hammer throws this year. Towards the end of his life, his efforts began to pay off: despite never having won a gold, America has won the last two world junior titles. Both winners were Americans that Harold mentored.
What many don't know about Harold was that as much as his life was consumed by the hammer throw, he was a well rounded individual that touched many others through his work as an educator, the President of Special Olympics, and as a loving father and husband. There is now a large void wherever his life touched.
Memorial services for hammer thrower Harrold Connolly are scheduled for Wednesday, August 25, 11 AM, at:
Saint John The Baptist Catholic Community Church
12319 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, Maryland 20904
301-622-1122
www.sjbsilverspring.org/parish
www.hammerthrow.com also notes a tribute being scheduled in California in September.
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Don Heinicke, a national and Olympic quality marathoner from Baltimore, passed
away from Alzheimer's. Don is in the Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame and was
founder of the Howard County Striders.
Don's attitude is right on for our masters - oriented club:
"If the body is in good trim, age is no deterrent."
Funeral services are today, north of Columbia at the Witzke Funeral Home, 4112
Old Columbia Pike, Ellicott City. Services are at 6 pm
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/obituaries/bal-md.ob.heinicke25apr25,0,1575472.
story?track=rss
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Milford Walter Wood -- Artillery Officer, Teacher
The Washington Post, September 30, 2006
Milford Walter Wood, 91, a retired artillery officer in the Army who later taught school in Fairfax County, died of pneumonia Sept. 25 at Inova Fairfax Hospital. He lived in Springfield.
Col. Wood, a native of South Bristol, N.Y., and a graduate of St. Bonaventure University, entered the Army in 1940. He served in the Pacific theater during World War II and later in Korea and Vietnam. He received a master's degree in aeronautical engineering in 1948 from New York University. His last assignment was at the Pentagon, and he retired in 1970. Among his military awards were two Legions of Merit and three Bronze Stars.
He taught math and science to junior high and middle school students in the 1970s in Fairfax schools.
He was a member of the Potomac Valley Track Club.
His wife of 62 years, Alice Jean Davis Wood, died in 2003. A daughter, Nancy Wood, died in 1987.
Survivors include a daughter, Susan Wood of San Ramon, Calif.; a granddaughter; and a great-grandson.
Remembering Mil Wood
by Don Riggs
After a full 91 year life including many productive years with Potomac
Valley Track Club, Mill Wood has moved on to a higher place. Respiratory
problems over the past week finally were more than he could overcome. He
passed away quietly with no significant suffering.
Mil's passing is a very sad moment for the many members who knew the very
likeable former Membership Chairman.
Mil is survived by daughter Sue who is his home making arrangements for
the funeral. We will inform all of those arrangements. Cards (and
calls) may be sent to Mil's home.
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Potomac Valley Track Club has lost another outstanding member, as Roger Peterson from Arlington passed away on April 18 at age 67, after a brief bout with cancer. Roger was a video production consultant after retiring from ABC as a video production specialist. Club members will remember Roger as a thrower and official at many of our meets.
The club's sympathies go to Roger's wife Kathy. A memorial service was held at the National Press Club.
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| Frank Luff, one of the grand masters of area running, passed away on Saturday, April 17. Frank was 81. |
| Al Heppner, a longtime PVTC member and a US National Track & Field Team member, died on February 15 at age 29. He had recently finished 5th in the Olympic trials 50km walk. A memorial service was helf in San Jose CA., and a "Celebration of Life" service was held on Saturday, April 17 in the auditorium of Howard High School, Al's alma mater. Friends attended and shared memories of Al. |
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