Former State Sen. Douglas Henry, A Giant In Tennessee Politics, Dies At 90

NASHVILLE, TN — Former State Sen. Douglas Henry, who in 44 years in the legislature left his imprint on everything from the state's finances to conservation to history to its social programs, died late Sunday surrounded by his family. He was 90 years old.

Henry will lie in state in the Capitol, the first person so honored since Gov. Austin Peay in 1927, with visitation in the House Chamber from 10 a.m. until noon Thursday, March 9. A memorial will be held at Downtown Presbyterian Church on Friday, March at 11 a.m. He will be interred at Mount Olivet.

Born into one of Nashville's most prominent and wealthy families — his grandfather was among the founders of National Life and Accident Insurance Company and his father was himself a state senator — Henry saw public service as his life's work. Henry was a conservative Democrat — one of the last of that species when he retired from the Senate in 2014 — who counted among his admirers fellow politicians across the political spectrum, who remembered him for his unwavering gentlemanliness, his devotion to his home state and its people, and his commitment to sound fiscal policy during his many years as chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee.

Governors from Republicans Winfield Dunn, Lamar Alexander, Don Sundquist and Bill Haslam to Democrats like Phil Bredesen and the late Ned Ray McWherter repeatedly praised Henry as the primary reason Tennessee earned top bond ratings from Wall Street and carried no road debt. When, during a budget crunch, a Senate colleague suggested the legislature simply raise revenue estimates to balance the budget, Henry sauntered — his nickname through his life was "Duck" because of his characteristic waddle — to the Senate floor, wrote "AAA" on a piece of paper and ripped it in half as a demonstration of what would happen should the state use such subterfuge to balance the budget. He was right.

Henry was a throwback long before his retirement. His suits switched to seersucker like clockwork the Monday after Easter. His accent was the deeply rich warm syrup of the Nashville drawl so rarely heard — as he'd say it "ray-Uh-ly hud" — now. He knew French, Italian, Latin, German and Greek. During the tough 2010 primary against the man who would become his successor, Jeff Yarbro, Henry was walking through a farmer's market in Richland Park and was speaking to a young woman with Greek tattooed on her forearm. He translated it on the spot and correctly identified it as a verse from the poet Sappho.

Henry won that 2010 primary by 13 votes and went on to win the general, defeating Republican Steve Dickerson, who, after redistricting, would, like Yarbro, become a state senator himself in time. Both Dickerson and Yarbro consider Henry a mentor, the latter recently calling his predecessor to discuss the law that requires a vote of the General Assembly to move the tomb of President and Mrs. Polk from the Capitol grounds. The law, passed in 1981, was, of course, passed by Henry who, of course, remembered it.

Henry's commitment to knowing the ins and outs of every thing that came before him as a legislator led to one of the most unlikely events of his life, particularly to anyone who spent any time around the genteel lawmaker. In 1977, the Senate was considering legislation on marijuana legalization. Henry dutifully traveled to a hotel room out of state — his oath required him to uphold the law in Tennessee — and smoked marijuana.

"I couldn't form my words. I couldn't walk. I couldn't regulate my actions," he told WTVF at the time. "I felt a detachment of my mind from my body, a sort of floating feeling. I don't believe that's in the public interest."

Henry relayed this research to his colleagues, but nevertheless supported a drastic lowering of the penalty for simple possession of marijuana.

Henry was critical in supporting conservation efforts — he spearheaded the effort to make Radnor Lake public land and started the Land Trust of Tennessee — and for his efforts to preserve the state's history, critical in the creation of Bicentennial Mall, the state museum and the war memorials. He was also responsible for the prominent and controversial placement of the bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest outside the Senate chamber.

There were times, such as with the Forrest bust, he was at loggerheads with fellow Democrats to his left, which was pretty much all of them. He was staunchly anti-abortion, though in a 2002 interview with the Nashville Scene, Steve Cohen — now a congressman and at the time easily one of the most liberal state lawmakers in Tennessee history — provided some context for Henry's views on abortion.

“A lot of people who are pro-life have no concern for the baby once the baby is born. They are pro-life to birth and that’s it,” he said. “But Sen. Henry is for helping the mother with pre-natal care, early childhood development and different kindergarten programs.”

Indeed, Henry sponsored the law requiring child-safety seats in Tennessee, revamped the state's adoption laws and created the first child-abuse registry.

Henry was "absolutely in the progressive tradition in creating and maintaining strong enduring governmental institutions, protecting them from corruption and ensuring that they were properly funded," Rep. Mike Stewart , a Nashville Democrat, told The Tennessean.

No matter political differences, though, Henry was a man of principles — Alexander once tried to recruit him to cross the aisle and become a Republican, but was told flatly "Sir, I could not do that as a matter of principle" — and a gentleman, so concerned with manners that he found himself standing outside the large revolving doors at the Capitol with future House Speaker Beth Harwell, unsure if it was more gentlemanly to let her go first or to go first himself to get the heavy doors moving.

Henry's last words to the State Senate in 2014, exemplified that.

“Goodbye everybody, be always kind and true."

Watch this mini-documentary from the state library and archives about Henry's career:

"Miss Lolly," Henry's beloved wife of 67 years died three months ago. He is survived by five children, 13 grandchildren and his many great-grandchildren.

Image via State of Tennessee