Henry more than a senator

Like so many, I too am saddened by Mr. Douglas Henry's recent passing.

Tributes and accolades have focused on his political career and rightly so. However, the Doug Henry I knew was more than a well-respected politician and Southern statesman.

He was my Sunday school teacher at the Downtown Presbyterian Church in the early 1960s when I was a teen.

Our class was small — seven to be exact. On Sundays, Mr. Henry taught us our lesson as he walked about the room, sitting beside one of us, all the while encouraging our questions and feedback.

Those lessons didn't end in that Sunday school room. For two years, Mr. Henry taught five of us at his home on a weekly basis. Not only did he come for us in the late afternoon at our homes, teach us our catechism in his den, provide dinner which Mrs. Henry prepared, but also drove us back home.

Those special times ended for me when I graduated high school and departed Nashville for college.

I was a young adult before I realized how valuable those Sunday school lessons with Mr. Henry were, as he had the gift of weaving the lesson content into real life experiences.

We remained 'in touch' throughout his life and he became my well-respected and much appreciated friend

Thank you, Doug Henry, for being such a remarkable, kind and true example for me and so many others.

I know I'm a better person because of my Sunday School Teacher, Mr. Douglas Henry.

Betsy Maddin Baylor, Nashville 37205

Senator Henry’s song

As a long-time Kiwanis member, I was involved when our club presented Senator Douglas Henry with the Kiwanis Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.

At the time I asked my husband, musician Bill Cole, to write a song about Senator Henry – these are the words:

"When Douglas Henry has something to say

"People pay attention because Douglas’ way is right…day and night

"When I get discouraged about partisan gripes

"I see Douglas Henry putting up the strong fight right ... day and night

"It’s not every man can do the thing he loves

"And do good for people he hasn’t even met

"I got every reason to think Duck has my back

"He will talk to me consider me and I will have my say ... tonight

"When Douglas Henry steps up to the mic you’re getting the pulse of

"Tennessee Tough Talk right…day and night

"Douglas Henry stands up for us all and with his lovely Lolly

"He is happy to hear your call ... day and night."

Gwen Cole, Nashville 37215

The last Southern gentleman

My grandfather was a dirt-poor sharecropper in the hills of Middle Tennessee, yet I never knew anyone, including his boss, address him as anything other than, "Mr. Barnes." 

Whenever anyone called me Mr. Barnes I immediately thought of my grandfather and the high regard in which he was held. 

I came to the legislature in 1973 as a 20-year-old college student, who worked as a lowly legislative aide. I met Senator Douglas S. Henry III who always addressed me as, "Mr. Barnes."  He did the same for over 40 years, and I knew he was speaking to me and not my grandfather.

Many eloquent adjectives have been and will be used by others to describe Senator Henry.  To me he was the last of the truly Southern gentlemen.

Dale Barnes, Goodlettsville 37072