Obituary of Mary Haverbeck

Mary Jo Haverbeck, 74, of Wilmington, DE and State College, passed away on January 6, 2014. Mary Jo was a graduate in Journalism programs from the University of Delaware, Syracuse University, and Penn State University, and served as an instructor in Journalism at Penn State. She was a pioneer and advocate for women's athletics and had outstanding careers as a broadcast journalist in Delaware, Penn State, Syracuse, and England, and as Women's Sports Information Director for Penn State. She was the first woman named to the Sports Information Director's Hall of Fame. Mary Jo won countless awards for excellence in her field and reported on NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four tournaments, the Pan-American Games, the NCAA Men's Basketball Regionals, the Slam Dunk to the Beach National Invitational, was manager of Press Operations for the Olympic games in 1983 and 1996, Director of Press Relations for the US Women's Lacrosse Association, and was the originator and editor of the first weekly eastern regional publication in women's basketball. Mary Jo is pre-deceased by her parents, Joe and Mildred Haverbeck, and is survived by her long-time friend Gillian Rattray of State College, and cousins Milman E. Prettyman, Jr and Richard G. Prettyman of Newark, DE, Suzanne Potts of Hudson, OH, and James Prettyman, Chattanooga, TN. A memorial service to celebrate the life of Mary Jo will be held at St. Andrews Episcopal Church at 12:00 noon, on Thursday, January 9, 2014, with Father Richard Wall officiating. Friends will be received at the Parish Life Center following the service. Interment will be in Bethel United Methodist Cemetery in Lewes, Delaware at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Andrews Episcopal Church Memorial Fund, 208 W. Foster Ave., State College, PA 16801. Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences may be made at www.kochfuneralhome.com.