Patriots Association announces inductees
The Gadsden-Etowah Patriots Association will add nine patriots to the Hall of Honor at its luncheon Wednesday at Gadsden Convention Hall
The luncheon is sponsored by the City of Gadsden, the Greater Gadsden Area Tourism Board and the Etowah County Commission.
Tickets are $15 per person and may be purchased from 10 a.m. until noon Monday and Wednesday at the Patriots Association office at the Mort Glosser Amphitheatre. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door.
After the program, the Gadsden Veterans Day Parade is slated for 2 p.m. in downtown Gadsden.
Here are the 2017 Patriots Hall of Honor inductees (* indicates a posthumous honor):
Special Category: World War I
Ralph Cannon*
World War I veteran Ralph Cannon continued to serve, giving back to his community after he returned from the war. He was an auxiliary policeman during World War II, and worked for the Works Progress Administration, helping to build the chapel at Forrest Cemetery. He built sheet metal awnings and donated them to the less fortunate in Etowah County. He made and donated awnings to Lookout Avenue Baptist Church, where they still can be seen. He helped Dwight Baptist Churchbuild a home for an elderly lady. He remained an active member of St. James Catholic Church in Gadsden until his death in 1983.
When Cannon was a private in the Irish Outfit 89th Regiment of New York during World War I, he served under Gen. Douglas MacArthur in the 42nd Rainbow Division and he drilled under Capt. Harry S. Truman. While stationed in Havre, France, he fought in the battles of Belleau Wood, the Argonne Forest and Saint Michel.
Serving in A Company, he became friends with a fellow doughboy named Al Jolson. During his time in the Army, Cannon met Father Duffey, his company chaplain, who inspired him to become a Roman Catholic.
Grover A. Hicks*
Grover Hicks dreamed of being a football coach in Etowah County, and was offered a football scholarship to the University of Georgia. However, Hicks was drafted into service in 1943 and couldn’t go to college then. He served in the 3704th Army Air Forces unit and trained as a Weather Observer Teletype Technician. While he was stationed with his unit, the president ordered all former employees of Goodyear Tire & Rubber and Firestone Tire & Rubber companies to report to their home plants to build tires for equipment used by armed forces at home and overseas. At the end of the war, Hicks was sent back to his unit to finish his enlistment. He was promoted to sergeant and received the WWII Victory Medal, the American Service Medal and the Army Good Conduct Medal.
Back home, Hicks continued to give his time to the Glencoe community. He coached Dixie Little League, was a member of the Glencoe Athletic Association, the Glencoe Band Boosters, a union representative at Goodyear and served on the union’s executive board. He volunteered to maintain the Glencoe High School band buses.
He instilled his pride of country and community in his children, who carry on his service to the nation and to the community.
James E. Lee*
James E. “Jim” Lee was dedicated to the betterment of his community through his businesses and through his work with the youth of Hokes Bluff.
Lee started Learning Systems Unlimited as an education distributor to the Southeast. He never let a student go without school books or supplies if they could not afford them. He co-founded Learning Systems Technologies, helping to teach computer technology and to help the Veterans Affairs office in Gadsden to be the first online with their computers. He also co-founded CyberTyme and helped veterans and youth who were trying to learn computer operations and repair. He served as the head coach and manager of the Hokes Bluff Drug Store Little League Baseball team from 1973 to 1978. He was the Dixie League All-Star Coach twice during that time, and took the All-Stars to the state finals once.
Lee served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1960 to 1967, earning the rank of corporal.
Other Inductees:
Fred Sington, Jr.
Fred Sington Jr. served in the Navy Reserve from 1953 to 1963. He was on active duty from 1955 to 57, serving at Bainbridge Navy Base, Maryland, and Little Creek Navy Base, Virginia. He was a member of the Naval Concert Choir in 1956 and 1957.
In Gadsden, Sington was active as president of the Alabama Retail Association; on the Alabama Aviation Council; on the corporate board of the Boys & Clubs of Northeast Alabama; as president of Alabama/Mississippi Boys Club Area Council and the Gadsden Downtown Action Council; on the Gadsden Cultural Arts Board of Directors, Gadsden Education Foundation Board, National Aviation Transportation Association Airport Committee and Northeast Alabama Big Brothers/Big Sisters; as chairman of the Alabama Regional Cancer Drive, Northeast Alabama Heart Fund and First United Methodist Board of Stewards; and captain of the Gadsden Quarterback Club.
His career including service as a labor attorney, owner of Fred Sington Sporting Goods, Consolidated National Life Insurance Company, assistant to the mayor of Gadsden, chairman of the Gadsden Airport Authority, director of the Northeast Alabama Regional Airport, sportscaster for Gadsden City High School, the JSU TV Network and University of Alabama radio, and as an instructor at Gadsden State Community College and Jacksonville State University.
Sington’s awards and honors include the Etowah County Hall of Fame, the ASA Alabama Softball Hall of Fame, All-Navy Football in 1956, All-Navy Softball in 1956 and 1957, Boy Scouts Golden Eagle Man of the Year, and Spirit of Citizenship Man of the Year.
Billy J. Harris
Billy J. Harris served his nation in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, in the 1st Cavalry Division. His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Air Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge.
His service to the community includes the Gadsden Board of Adjustments, treasurer of the NAACP, Advisory Council member for the Family Success Center, board member and treasurer for the Gadsden-Etowah Patriots Association, Gadsden Kiwanis Club board of directors, mentor for Judge Billy Ogletree’s Veterans Court, member and Senior Vice Commander of the VFW Post 10408 in Glencoe, and Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor. He introduced Little Brothers to golf by collecting clubs.
Harris retired from Sears in senior management in Gadsden, Richmond, Virginia, and Greenwood, Mississippi. He worked with Enrestoration LLC, Gadsden for two years, and served on the Gadsden City Council from 2010-2014.
Dr. Danny R. Sparks
Danny Sparks has been an orthopedic surgeon in Gadsden since 1988, and he has provided care for local veterans and service members after injuries or accidents. He has helped many local veterans and service members and has always demonstrated a willingness to work with veterans and to assist them with service-related disability claims.
Sparks served in the U.S. Air Force at Langley AFB, Virginia, from 1974 to 1988, where he was chief of orthopedics.
Michael A. Grieco
Michael A. Grieco served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1969 to 1972. He was a first lieutenant, serving in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970. His decorations include National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with three stars, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Commendation Medal with Valor, Rifle Expert Badge, Pistol Expert Badge and a Certificate of Appreciation from President Richard Nixon.
Grieco has served his church and community for almost 40 years. He is a board member and volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. He serves as chairman of its Site Selection Committee, member of the Dragon Boat Core team fundraiser, and serves as the Dragon Boat Festival chief marshal. As a member and officer of the Knights of Columbus, he is chairman of the Intellectual Disability Drive (Tootsie Roll Drive). He provides routine maintenance and landscape work for the St. James Catholic School. He is a weekly truck driver to Birmingham to pick up food and assists with the food distribution for the Catholic Center of Concern in Gadsden.
Ronnie L. Watkins
Ronnie L. Watkins attended Samford University and serves now on the college’s board of trustees.
He became a businessman in Gadsden in 1998, opening Ronnie Watkins Ford, initially on 12th Street. It now is located on George Wallace Drive.
Watkins and his family attend MeadowBrook Baptist Church were he serves as a trustee, a Sunday School teacher and a confidant to Senior Pastor Randy Gunter.
Over the years in Gadsden, Watkins has provided automobiles for the driver education programs at all high schools in the county. He has provided vehicles for many programs within the county and several of the major charities serving children. He served and helped form technical school services such as welding, automotive mechanics, automotive body and repair, brick masonry and carpentry schools. Watkins serves on the Salvation Army Advisory Board, United Way Campaign of Etowah County and the Gadsden/Etowah Tourism Board.
In another recent noteworthy achievement, Watkins was the major donor in bringing the Traveling Vietnam Wall to Gadsden. More than 70,000 visitors and student groups from as far away as Rome, Georgia, visited the exhibit.
Walter Jack Riley
Walter Jack Riley served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. He was wounded during the battle for “Hill 70.”
His military decorations include the Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Rifle Sharpshooter Badge.
Riley’s service to the community includes many activities: umpiring youth baseball, serving as Boy Scout Troop 116 Scoutmaster, helping organize and serving as board member of the Etowah Soccer Association. As a certified FIFA and NCAA soccer referee, he trained coaches and referees, coached children and officiated games for many years, and coached adult women’s and men’s soccer teams. As a certified Red Cross and American Heart Association CPR and First Aid instructor, he has trained more 1,000 people in Etowah County in these lifesaving skills.
He has donated more than 10 gallons of blood as a Red Cross blood donor. He served MANNA as a driver and was awarded the Outstanding Contributor of the Year Award for adult education by the Alabama Association for Public Continuing Adult Education.
He has served as chairman of the board for Vulcan Employee Development Association; American Cancer Society Relay for Life captain; on the advisory boards for Bessemer State College, Samford University, Tarrant City Schools and Phillips High School's mentoring programs; and as negotiations judge for the University of Alabama School of Business.
He served as team leader for Semper Fi Odyssey, teaching active duty wounded and injured service members how to transition into civilian life. He is a life member of the Marine Corps League McLaughlin Detachment 1091, VFW, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Disabled American Veterans and the American Legion.