AIRPORT DEDICATION

By
Maryann Miller

On Saturday, May 16th the Winnsboro Airport was officially renamed the "Winnsboro Frank M. White Memorial Airport" at a dedication ceremony that drew quite a crowd. Mr. White was instrumental in getting the airport in Winnsboro.

City Administrator, Nina E. Browning (below R) explained that Mr. White was one of the members of the Airport Board who brought the idea to the city for approval. "The city council was very enthused about the idea," she said. "And we had a lot of community support for the idea. As well as support from the Winnsboro News."

In addition to serving on the Airport Board, Mr. White was a former City Council member, serving as Mayor from 1968-1973, and a member of the WISD Board. Mr. White served as director of the Winnsboro Area Chamber of Commerce and was a charter member and chairman of the Wood County Industrial Commission and Wood County Economic Council. He was named “Man of the Year” in 1982 and “Outstanding Civic Leader” in 1997. Through his public service, he inspired citizens of Winnsboro to become involved in their local community and civic organizations.

The dedication ceremony started with an invocation by Rev. Allan Snider of First Methodist Church in Winnsboro. He said he was honored to have Mr. White in his congregation. "He was a great civic leader and a very nice man," Allan said. "It was my privilege to be able to minister to him."

After the opening prayer, the Boy Scout Troop #379 presented the colors. (Front L-R: Shadoe Weems,Reid Fischer, Sam Pettyjohn, Nick Tallant -- Back L-R: Lewis Tallant, Danny Fischer.)

Scott Reno, a junior at Winnsboro High School played a wonderful rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner."

After Nina Browning welcomed everyone, Winnsboro Mayor Carolyn Jones read the official Proclamation, part of which states, "We celebrate his many achievements and wish to rename the city’s airport the 'Winnsboro Frank M. White Memorial Airport'. BE IT RESOLVED that this proclamation be made a part of the official records of the City of Winnsboro, and that an official copy of this expression of our esteem be presented to Mr. White’s family."

She then gave a copy to Mary White Scharf, one of the daughters, who then spoke. She said she couldn't think of anything that would please her Dad more than this dedication, and she shared her memories of how the airport was an integral part of their family life. "It was often the topic of conversation at dinner," she said. "And we would come out as a family to check the progress of construction."

That total involvement continued through the years. "After I went away to college and came back to visit, I would come out to the airport to jog on the runways," Mary said.

Mary said that her father was so passionate about the airport because he knew it would help put Winnsboro on the map. "And he was adamant that it be the Winnsboro Airport," she said. "Not a county airport or in conjunction with another town."

Mr. White was also pleased when they were allowed to extend the runway to accommodate larger planes. Mary explained that he was sure that would help in drawing businesses to Winnsboro.

She also noted that her father was a great facilitator. "He had a way of seeing the potential of people and places and would work to bring people together to be involved."

In closing, she said, she couldn't think of anything that would make her father happier than to have the airport dedicated to him. "This is a very nice thing the City has done," she said. "You should be proud of it, and we thank you so much.

Mary,(R) pictured here with her sister Catherine Tarpley, lives in Winchester Massachusetts. She joked that she was the "One who ran away from home."

But she said she plans to come back to the area when her husband retires. "This is home," she said. "I grew up here, and my sister lives in the area, out at King's Country. So there's no question I'll be back."

Maybe someday in the not too distant future, Mary will be out jogging on the runway at the Frank M. While Memorial Airport. How fitting that will be.