Other dignitaries are John J. King, honorary grand marshal; Patrick J. Sheridan, parade marshal; Joe O’Donnell, honorary parade marshal; Sister Marian Denise Walsh, honorary marshal, and Robert Roche, Michael F. King Memorial Award.

Bill King, president of the St. Patrick’s Parade Association of Lackawanna County, Inc., said the following have become $600 division sponsors for the parade:

Eastern Penn Supply Co, formerly C.B. Scott; Kennedy Division, Ancient Order of Hibernians/Irish Men’s Association; The Irish Tenor production set for March 18 in First Union Arena; Whistle’s Pub; L.T. Verrastro; Mercy Hospital; Royal Bottling Co.; John P. Kearney & Associates, Inc.; First Union Bank and R. J. Walker Co.

Mr. Hickey served as mayor from 1978 to 1982. He had previously served on the Scranton School Board and as chairman of the Scranton Zoning Board. A graduate of the University of Scranton, he is owner of the Eugene F. Hickey Insurance Agency.

He has served as president of the Purple Club. His memberships include the University of Scranton President’s Club, West Scranton Men’s Association, Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Knights of Columbus, and the American Legion.

He is married to the former Margaret Harding. They have five children.

Mr. King is a retired employee of Cox Sheet Metal where he worked for 40 years. He is a 50-year member of the Sheet Metal International Union, Local 44. A graduate of West Scranton High School, he was the organizer of Boy Scout Troop 10 and served as Red Cross first-aid instructor.

He serves as a senior acolyte at Holy Name of Jesus Church where he is a past president of the Holy Name Society. He served as surgical technician with the Army during World War II.

He is the widower of the former Mary Elizabeth Cox. They were married for 51 years and were the parents of eight children.

Mr. Sheridan , a certified public accountant, is president of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County. A 1976 graduate of the University of Scranton, he earned a master’s degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1993.

A past president of the Penn State Worthington Scranton Campus Alumni Association, he has also served as chairman of the University of Scranton’s annual fund drive. He serves on the board of the United Way of Lackawanna County and St. Francis of Assisi Soup Kitchen.

He is married to the former Mary Jane Thomas. They are the parents of two daughters.

Mr. O’Donnell is a legendary piano player and teacher who still entertains on weekends at the Crystal Lake Hotel, playing songs from his extensive memory of popular music.

He is also well-known throughout the area because of the years in spent teaching music in parochial schools. He also directed many minstrels.

He is married to the former Rosemary Pearce. They are the parents of four children.

Sister Marian Denise served as administrator of St. Joseph’s Center for 16 years before her retirement in 1991. She then assumed duties as a social worker in Marywood University’s School of Social Work where she had previously worked as assistant to the dean.

She earned her bachelor’s degree at Marywood and her master’s from Fordham University. She previously served as executive assistant to the diocesan director and administrator of Diocesan Services for the Aging for Brooklyn Catholic Charities in New York.

The University of Scranton awarded her an honorary degree in 1991.

Mr. Roche is the first winner of the King Award endowed by the Quiet Man Society. He and future winners will be honored for their service in the military.

He was a machine-gun operator with the 563rd Squadron, 388th Bomber Group with the 8th Air Force serving in the Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe campaigns. He was awarded two Purple Hearts and the Distinguished Unit Badge.

Among his community activities, he is past president of the AOH’s Kennedy Division and is active with Project Children, the winner of several awards for his service to the Boy Scouts, and a former officer of the Knights of Columbus.