Walter Henricks

Walter H. Henricks II, 71, of McMurray, formerly of Butler, passed away Wednesday.

Born in State College on Nov. 4, 1940, he was the son of the late Walter H. and Ruth (Hoover) Henricks. He grew up in Butler on the Henricks dairy family farm, and he and his family were regularly decorated with awards at the Butler Farm Show.

A history major, he graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in 1962 and completed a Master's Degree and post-Master's work in Education at the University of Pittsburgh. While at Penn State, he met his wife, Mary (Chess) Henricks, of Crafton, to whom he was married for 47 years.

After teaching briefly in the Chartiers Valley school District, he was associate principal of Upper St. Clair High School for 26 years, retiring in 1996.

During his tenure, Upper St. Clair (USC) High School achieved national recognition. As a representative of USC, he was recognized by President George H.W. Bush in the White House Rose Garden as part of the Blue Ribbon Excellence in School Awards Program. In addition, the school also was recognized nationally by the Phi Delta Kappa Society for an exemplary disciplinary program. In 2007, he was elected to the Upper St. Clair Hall of Fame for his contributions to academic excellence.

An avid Penn State and USC football fan, he was a fixture at Friday night USC high school games.

He was a devoted “Papa,” rarely missing grandchildren's activities.

He is survived by his wife, Mary (Chess) Henricks; his sons, Walter H. Henricks III and his wife, Katharine A. Downes, and Robert S.C. Henricks and his wife, Lisa (Bonnaure) Henricks; grandchildren Cassandra and Robert; sisters Carolyn McGuigan and Marjorie Underwood and her husband, Clark Underwood.

<B>HENRICKS</B> — Friends of Walter H. Henricks II, who passed away Wednesday, March 7, 2012, will be welcome at <B>BEINHAUER FUNERAL HOME</B>, 2828 Washington Road, McMurray, 724-941-3211, from 2 to 4 and 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday.All are invited to a memorial service at 11 a.m. Thursday in the Ruthfred Lutheran Church, South Park and Patterson Roads, Bethel Park. The interment is private.In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Walter H. Henricks II may be made to Family Hospice and Palliative Care, 50 Moffett St., Pittsburgh, PA 15243 (www.familyhospice.com); to the Community Foundation of Upper St. Clair, 2585 Washington Road, Suite 131A, Pittsburgh, PA 15241; or to the Ruthfred Lutheran Church, 3401 Patterson Road, Bethel Park, PA 15102 (www.ruthfred.org).Please add and view tributes at www.beinhauer.com.