{{short description|American politician (1926–2017)}} {{Other people|Doug Henry}} {{For|his father|Douglas "Duck" Henry}} {{Infobox officeholder | name=Douglas Henry | image=Douglas Henry (13785717623) (1).jpg | caption=Henry in 2014 | state_senate=Tennessee | district=21st | term_start=1971 | term_end= 2014 | preceded= | succeeded=Jeff Yarbro | party=Democratic | birth_date={{birth date|1926|05|18}} | death_date= {{death date and age|2017|3|5|1926|5|18}} | birth_place=Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | death_place=Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | alma_mater=Vanderbilt University | profession=Attorney }} '''Douglas Selph''' "'''Duck'''" '''Henry Jr.''' (May 18, 1926 – March 5, 2017) was an American attorney and Democratic politician. He was the longest-serving member of the Tennessee legislature. He was a member of the Tennessee Senate, representing the 21st district (part of Davidson County). He served as a state senator beginning with his election to the 87th General Assembly, prior to which he was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives during the 79th General Assembly.
==Early life== Henry was born on May 14, 1926, in Nashville, Tennessee, to Kathryn Craig Henry and Douglas Selph Henry Sr.<ref name="washingtonpostobit">{{cite news|last1=Mattise|first1=Jonathan|last2=Schelzig|first2=Erik|title=Former Sen. Douglas Henry, longest-serving lawmaker, dies|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/former-sen-douglas-henry-longest-serving-lawmaker-dies/2017/03/06/310119da-02b2-11e7-9d14-9724d48f5666_story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307005828/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/former-sen-douglas-henry-longest-serving-lawmaker-dies/2017/03/06/310119da-02b2-11e7-9d14-9724d48f5666_story.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 7, 2017|accessdate=March 7, 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=March 6, 2017}}</ref> He grew up in Belle Meade, Tennessee, where he was raised as a Presbyterian.<ref name="tennesseanebertdouglashenrylongestserving">{{cite news|last1=Ebert|first1=Joel|last2=Garrison|first2=Joey|title=Douglas Henry, longest-serving member of Tennessee legislature, dies at 90|url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/06/douglas-henry-a-giant-of-the-tennessee-legislature-for-six-decades-has-died/98633904/|accessdate=March 6, 2017|work=The Tennessean|date=March 6, 2017}}</ref> His grandfather, Cornelius Abernathy (C.A.) Craig. was the founder of the National Life and Accident Insurance Co., and his father, Douglas Selph Henry Sr., served in the Tennessee Senate.<ref name="tennesseanebertdouglashenrylongestserving"/> Robert Selph Henry, his uncle, was an attorney and a historian who authored history books, such as ''The Story of the Confederacy'' (1931) and ''The Story of Reconstruction'' (1938).
Henry was educated at The Parmer School, Wallace School, and The McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee,<ref name="legacysenatorobit">{{cite web|title=Senator Douglas Selph Henry|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tennessean/obituary.aspx?n=douglas-selph-henry&pid=184375021&fhid=5651|website=legacy.com|accessdate=March 7, 2017}}</ref> and graduated from the Montgomery Bell Academy in 1941.<ref name="nashvillesceneformersendouglashenrydies">{{cite news|last1=Hale|first1=Steven|title=Former Sen. Douglas Henry Dies at 90|url=http://www.nashvillescene.com/news/pith-in-the-wind/article/20853869/former-sen-douglas-henry-dies-at-age-90|accessdate=March 6, 2017|work=The Nashville Scene|date=March 6, 2017}}</ref>
Henry served as a member of the United States Army in the Philippines for over two years during World War II.<ref name="tennesseanebertdouglashenrylongestserving"/><ref name="nashvillesceneformersendouglashenrydies"/> He received the Philippine Independence Medal.<ref name="washingtonpostobit"/>
Henry graduated with a BA in French, Greek, and Latin from College of Arts and Science at Vanderbilt University.<ref name="washingtonpostobit"/> He subsequently earned an LL.B from the Vanderbilt Law School.<ref name="washingtonpostobit"/><ref name="tennesseanebertdouglashenrylongestserving"/><ref name="nashvillesceneformersendouglashenrydies"/>
==Career== Henry began his career a practising attorney and legal counsel to the family business, the National Life and Accident Insurance Co.<ref name="tennesseanebertdouglashenrylongestserving"/>
Henry made an initial and unsuccessful bid for election into the Tennessee House of Representatives during 1952.<ref name="nashvillesceneformersendouglashenrydies"/> Henry was first elected into the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1954.<ref name="tennesseanebertdouglashenrylongestserving"/>
Henry was absent from politics during the 1960s, working as a corporate attorney for National Life Insurance Company.<ref name="nashvillesceneformersendouglashenrydies"/>
Returning to the political arena in 1970,<ref name="tennesseanebertdouglashenrylongestserving"/> Henry was elected 11 consecutive times to the Tennessee State Senate, most recently narrowly defeating challenger Jeff Yarbro in the 2010 primary by just 17 votes.<ref name="rau">{{cite news|url=http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100809/NEWS02/100809023/Henry+appears+to+be+winner+over+Yarbro+|title=Douglas Henry defeats Jeff Yarbro in District 21 state Senate race|last=Rau|first=Nate|date=August 9, 2010|work=The Tennessean|accessdate=11 August 2010}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>
In the 1970s, Henry smoked marijuana outside the state of Tennessee to experience it before he could vote on a decriminalization bill in the senate.<ref name="washingtonpostobit"/>
Henry stated that he legislatively supported "education, children's welfare, and voting rights".<ref name="washingtonpostobit"/> In 1978, Henry helped pass a law in Tennessee for the mandatory use of child seat belts.<ref name="thetennesseanseatbeltlawapartofsendouglas">{{cite news|last1=Duplantier|first1=Wesley|title=Seat belt law a part of Sen. Douglas Henry's legacy|url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/06/seat-belt-law-part-sen-douglas-henrys-legacy/98803026/|accessdate=March 7, 2017|work=The Tennessean|date=March 6, 2017}}</ref>
==End of legislative service==
When the Republicans became the majority in the state Senate in 2007, they called Henry the “chairman emeritus” of the body's Finance Committee out of respect. Despite being from the minority party, his views within the committee were given disproportionate weight.<ref name="washingtonpostobit"/>
After his district was drastically altered by the Republican Legislative majority, Henry announced he would not seek re-election in 2014, instead opting to retire.<ref name="wateobit">{{cite news|title=Douglas Henry, state's longest serving lawmaker, dies at 90|url=http://wate.com/2017/03/06/douglas-henry-states-longest-serving-lawmaker-dies-at-90/|accessdate=March 6, 2017|work=ABC6|date=March 6, 2017}}</ref><ref name="nashvillescenesendouglashenrywillnotseek">{{cite news|last1=Hale|first1=Steven|title=Sen. Douglas Henry Will Not Seek Re-Election in 2014|url=http://www.nashvillescene.com/news/article/13048238/sen-douglas-henry-will-not-seek-reelection-in-2014|accessdate=March 6, 2017|work=The Nashville Scene|date=May 8, 2013}}</ref> Yarbro, Henry's challenger in 2010, defeated current Tennessee Democratic Party Chair Mary Mancini in the 2014 primary and is the current Senator from the 21st District.<ref name="thetennesseanjeffyabrodefeatsmarymancini">{{cite news|last1=Wadhwani|first1=Anita|title=Jeff Yarbro defeats Mary Mancini in Senate District 21 primary|url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2014/08/07/jeff-yarbro-holds-slight-lead-mary-mancini-senate-district-primary/13752501/|accessdate=March 6, 2017|work=The Tennessean|date=August 7, 2014}}</ref>
By the time he retired, he was the longest-serving member of the Tennessee legislature,<ref name="tennesseanebertdouglashenrylongestserving"/> with a 23-year record.<ref name="washingtonpostobit"/> On his retirement, the State Comptroller of the Treasury, Justin P. Wilson, called him "a true gentleman."<ref name="thetennesseanwilsonatruegentleman">{{cite news|last1=Wilson|first1=Justin P.|title=Tennessee Sen. Doug Henry is a true gentleman|url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2014/05/18/tennessee-sen-doug-henry-true-gentleman/9208259/|accessdate=March 7, 2017|work=The Tennessean|date=May 17, 2014}}</ref>
==Personal life== With his wife, Loiette Hume "Lolly" Henry,<ref name="washingtonpostobit"/> Henry had two sons named Robert Selph Henry and Douglas Cornelius Hume Henry, and four daughters named Loiette Henry Thompson, Kathryn Henry-Choisser, Mary Leland Henry Wehner, and the late Emily McMahon.<ref name="legacysenatorobit"/> Lolly died in December 2016.<ref name="legacysenatorobit"/>
==Death== Henry died on March 5, 2017, at his home in Nashville, Tennessee.<ref name="tennesseanebertdouglashenrylongestserving"/><ref name="wateobit"/> Shortly after his death, former Vice President Al Gore called him "a dear friend". Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam called him "a powerhouse intellect, courteous, kind, genuine and a statesman" and added "I will miss knowing that his wisdom and perspective are only a phone call away".<ref name="washingtonpostobit"/> The mayor of Nashville, Megan Barry, praised his "high standard for decorum and decency in public life" while Vanderbilt University's chancellor Nicholas Zeppos called him "a distinguished public servant, esteemed Vanderbilt alumnus, generous benefactor and dear friend."<ref name="tennesseetribuneobit">{{cite news|title=Former Sen. Douglas Henry, 90, Dies|accessdate=August 17, 2017|work=The Tennessee Tribune|date=March 9, 2017|url=http://tntribune.com/community/tennessee/former-sen-douglas-henry-90-dies/|archive-date=September 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930084242/http://tntribune.com/community/tennessee/former-sen-douglas-henry-90-dies/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Henry's body was to lie in state in the Tennessee State Capitol on March 9, 2017, which has not happened since Governor Austin Peay in 1927.<ref name="thetennesseansenatepaystributetodouglas">{{cite news|last1=Ebert|first1=Joel|title=Senate pays tribute to Douglas Henry on chamber floor|url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/06/senate-pays-tribute-douglas-henry-chamber-floor/98826214/|accessdate=March 7, 2017|work=The Tennessean|date=March 6, 2017}}</ref> His funeral was planned to be held at the Downtown Presbyterian Church on March 10, 2017.<ref name="legacysenatorobit"/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Henry, Douglas}} Category:1926 births Category:2017 deaths Category:Politicians from Nashville, Tennessee Category:People from Belle Meade, Tennessee Category:Vanderbilt University alumni Category:Tennessee lawyers Category:Democratic Party members of the Tennessee House of Representatives Category:Democratic Party Tennessee state senators Category:American businesspeople in the insurance industry Category:United States Army personnel of World War II Category:Military personnel from Tennessee Category:20th-century American lawyers Category:20th-century members of the Tennessee General Assembly Category:21st-century members of the Tennessee General Assembly