Henry Purnell Guercio

Henry P. Guercio, 94, a lifelong resident of Harford County, passed away on December 9, 2021.  Born on May 24, 1927. he was the fourth of five sons born to Paul Guercio and Josephine (Zito) Guercio.  After high school, he joined the U.S. Marines in 1945, trained at both Parris Island, SC and Camp Pendleton, CA, and was ready to deploy when the war ended.  He returned to Bel Air where he joined his father in the family grocery business and residence on Main Street.  (Later known as Georgetown North and now Sean Bolan’s). 

He founded Benson Meat Products in Fallston in 1954, operating a butcher shop and market for 40 years.  When the business closed in 1994, the Guercio Family donated the famous “Benson Steer” to the County where it now resides on top of the 4-H Building at the Farm Fair.

In 1957, he married Norma (Lucky) Sparks and over the next few years they welcomed four children.  In 1965, he purchased the farmhouse in Forest Hill that would be his lifetime home.  In the 1970s, he began a second career in real estate development, first with Pleasantview Farms and later with Sparks Legacy, both in Forest Hill.  Henry and Lucky were charter members of the Maryland Golf and Country Club as well as frequent patrons at One Eleven Main, both in Bel Air. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, and his youngest son, Michael.  He is survived by the love of his life, Lucky, son Steve and spouse Mimi, daughter Teresa Truckenmiller and spouse Steve, Henry Guercio, Jr. and daughter-in law Karen and spouse Mike along with 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

 In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Kaufmann Cancer Center in Memory of Henry P. Guercio, Sr. checks can be mailed to: 500 Upper Chesapeake Drive, Bel Air, Maryland 21014 or contributions can be made online at uchfoundation.org