Harold Henry

Harold Dean Henry, Ed.D, passed away on September 12, 2019, at Roman Eagle Rehab and Health Care Center. He was born December 22, 1933, in Danville, Virginia, a son of Noel David Henry and Willie Williams Henry. After graduating from George Washington High School, he served in the Navy as a medical corpsman. He earned a B.S. in Business Administration and an M.Ed in Business from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and in 1975, an Ed.D from the University of Virginia. In higher education for forty years, Dr. Henry was an administrator and teacher at Danville Technical Institute until it became Danville Community College. He became chairman of the Business Division and was honored as Professor Emeritus. At Averett University he was Dean of Adult and Continuing Education. In 1966, he received Danville’s Excellence in Education Award. Devoted to his hometown, he participated in numerous civic organizations. In 1981, Dr. Henry received the Danville Kiwanis Club Citizen of the Year Award. He was a long time member of the Danville Rotary Club, serving as president and receiving the Paul Harris Fellow Award in 1988. His civic service started in the Danville Jaycees where he was president and, in 1961, he received the Distinguished Service Award for Young Man of the Year. For his years of service on the Piedmont Credit Union Board, the Harold D. Henry Scholarship for high school seniors was established. He was Interim Chairman of the Danville- Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce during the year of their merger. He was an active member of West Main Baptist Church where he was chairman of the Deacons and taught a Sunday School class for college age students. A sports enthusiast, he coached football in the Danville Little League and basketball at DCC. He cheered for VA Tech football and UVA basketball, but most enthusiastically for the Boston Red Sox. In 2011, he was inducted into the Danville Community College Sports Hall of Fame. He was an active supporter of the Danville Arts and Humanities Association, which he chaired, and the Virginia-Carolina Scottish Society. Of all his activities, Dr. Henry may be best remembered for his dedication to humor, especially in his speeches, which were both funny and inspirational. In recent years, he practiced his wit and banter with his friend and helper, Polly Faust. In addition to his wife, Sylvia Smith Henry, he is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth Ann DiMedio of Malvern, PA and three grandchildren Maria Dimedio, Christina Dimedio, and Michael Dimedio, Jr. as well as two brothers, David Lee Henry and his wife Nancy of Roanoke, VA and Donald Ray Henry and his wife Kathryn of Dallas, Texas. The funeral service will be at 2pm on Monday, September 16, 2019, at West Main Baptist Church with Reverend Bruce Wilson officiating. The family will receive friends at Townes Funeral Home on Sunday, September 15, 2019 from 6 to 7:30pm Memorial donations can be made to Danville Life Saving Crew, 202 Christopher Lane, Danville, VA 24541, West Main Baptist, 450 West Main Street, Danville, VA 24541, or Danville Rotary Club Foundation, P.O. Box 655, Danville, VA 24543.