Henry R. Wolfe

Henry R. Wolfe, a retired commercial real estate manager and World War II veteran, died of kidney failure Nov. 7 at the Mercy Ridge Retirement Community in Timonium. The former North Baltimore resident was 92. Born in Cumberland, he was the son of John Henry Wolfe, a teamster who owned a horse-powered hauling and carriage business, and Marie Ann Knouse. After graduating from LaSalle High School in 1942, he enlisted in the Navy.
"He had good eyesight and received his marksman's badge at Solomons Island," said his son, Henry Wolfe of Glenmoore, Pa. During World War II he served as a machinist mate and anti-aircraft gunner on Tank Landing Ship 377. He participated in the invasions of Tunisia, Sicily and Salerno in 1943 and at Normandy, June 6, 1944. "In his last several days he told us about trying to shoot down German planes as they strafed his ship and others nearby when they were invading Anzio. He also told us of trying to shoot down the "doodlebugs" — V-1 flying bombs — when they were flying over the English Channel at the time of the Normandy invasion," his son said.
Wolfe wrote in his wartime diary of the days before the Allied invasion: "The weather's bad. We are delayed. Don't know when we're going." He fired anti-aircraft guns on the day of the invasion as his craft carried military personnel across the English Channel to Normandy, France. "There was initially some problems with the tides but soon he witnessed the dead on the beach," his son. "For years he never spoke of the experience." Wolfe was awarded five Bronze Campaign Stars for his part in the invasions.
"He never spoke much about the war until 'Band of Brothers' came out. I watched it with him and started crying like a baby. He couldn't watch it. He stood up and left," his son said. "It was not until then that we learned that he had served at Normandy and four other major invasions. After that time he took to wearing his veterans baseball cap and enjoyed going to veterans celebrations and parades. He still teared up when he was reminded about the boys who lost their lives in that war."
After leaving military service he moved to Baltimore and earned a business degree at the University of Baltimore. In the summer, he sailed on oil freighters to South America. He met his future wife, Patricia Ann Sweeney, a journalism student at the University of Baltimore. They married in 1951. Wolfe initially worked in sales for Esso Oil. He later joined Crown Central Petroleum and became a district manager. He also worked in marketing and its commercial real estate division, where he selected sites for Crown's service stations. While in the Crown Central marketing department, he supervised photography shoots with professional athletes, including Sam Snead, Brooks Robinson and Johnny Unitas. He retired from Crown Central nearly 30 years ago and after a few weeks decided to return to work. He then managed commercial real estate for the Po Folks restaurant chain. He also sold residential real estate.
"He was a likable, easy-going guy who could put you at ease," his son said. "Though he had grown up in downtown Cumberland, he was more like a country boy." He stopped working at 75. Wolfe then volunteered at St Joseph's Medical Center as a receptionist and in assisting patients. He served meals at Our Daily Bread until several years ago. Wolfe was an enthusiastic volleyball player. He followed the Orioles, Baltimore Colts and the Ravens.
Nearly 50 years ago he bought an East Lake Avenue home that contained an additional lot. He maintained a vegetable garden and did home maintenance chores, including cleaning leaves from gutters while he perched on the roof. "I called him Peter Pan because he was always so young," Henry Wolfe said. In addition to his son and wife of 64 years, a homemaker and writer for church publications, survivors include four other sons, J. Thomas Wolfe of Baltimore, John Wolfe of Shrewsbury, Pa., Robert Wolfe of Baltimore and Christopher Wolfe of Charlottesville, Va.; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.