William "Bill" H. Haithco Sr. (February 7, 1923 – March 17, 2011) was an African American businessman and community leader from Saginaw County, Michigan.

Personal

Haithco was born in Saginaw, Michigan on February 7, 1923, to William Joseph Haithco and Lady Celes Dabney Haithco. He spent much of his life in Saginaw County and moved to Fayetteville, Georgia in 1998, but continued to visit Saginaw County parks on trips back to Michigan. He graduated from

Arthur Hill High School Arthur Hill High School is a public high school in Saginaw, Michigan, United States. It serves students in grades 9-12 as one of three high schools in the Saginaw Public School District. History The school was named after a successful lumberin ...

in 1940. After being honorably discharged from the United States Army, he attended

Michigan State College Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...

(now Michigan State University), graduating in 1950 becoming a registered

pharmacist A pharmacist, also known as a chemist (Commonwealth English) or a druggist (North American and, archaically, Commonwealth English), is a healthcare professional who prepares, controls and distributes medicines and provides advice and instructi ...

at the

University of Michigan College of Pharmacy The University of Michigan College of Pharmacy is located on the central campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. As of 2016 it was tied as the third ranked pharmacy school in the US. History Pharmacy was first taught at the Universi ...

in 1952. Haithco married Nancy Olivia Fisher and had four children, William Harold Haithco II, Shari Lin Clarke, Rev. Jai Spencer Haithco, and Shelly Marie Haithco. His autobiography, ''From the Farm to the Pharmacist and Beyond'', was published in 2007. Haithco died at the home he shared with his daughter Shari in Fayetteville, Georgia on March 17, 2011, at the age of 88.

Professional

Haithco opened Haithco Prescription Pharmacy at 1800 Wadsworth in Saginaw in 1957 following his employment at Kent Drug Store and Saginaw County Hospital. In 1972, he joined the pharmacy staff at Saginaw General Hospital.

Community involvement

Haithco founded the Saginaw County Parks and Recreation Commission in 1969 and served as its chairman from 1972 to 1999. In 1972, he joined the Board of Directors of the Saginaw General Credit Union, and served as president for ten years. He also served as president of the University Of Michigan College Of Pharmacy Alumni Board Of Governors.

Honors

Haithco received numerous community, state, and national awards related to his professional role, community service, and volunteerism. On July 1, 1970, he received the A.H. Robins Bowl of Hygeia Award for community service in pharmacy. He received the award at Boyne Mountain Resort and his photographed appeared in Time Magazine. William H. Haithco Recreation Area was named in his honor in 1991 and Haithco Lake was named for Haithco in May 1991. He received the status as an honored alumnus of Arthur Hill High School, the National Association of County Parks and Recreations Officials Outstanding Volunteer Award, and also the U.S. Pharmacist / Searle Service To The Community Award in 1994. The William H. Haithco Student Community Service Award was created in 2002 by the Michigan Pharmacy Foundation in honor of his service to his community and to the profession of pharmacy. He was awarded the 2003 University of Michigan Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Service Award.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Haithco, William H. Sr. 1923 births 2011 deaths People from Saginaw, Michigan People from Fayetteville, Georgia Michigan State University alumni American pharmacists University of Michigan College of Pharmacy alumni