Robert C. Henry
Robert Clayton Henry | |
|---|---|
Mayor of Springfield, Ohio | |
| In office 1966–1968 | |
| Preceded by | Maurice K. Baach |
| Succeeded by | Betty Brunk |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Clayton Henry July 16, 1921 Springfield, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | September 8, 1981 (aged 60) Good Shepherd Village, Springfield, Ohio, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Cancer |
| Resting place | Ferncliff Cemetery Springfield, Ohio, U.S.A |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Betty Jane Scott |
| Children | Robert C. Henry II, Alan Henry, Lisa Henry |
| Education | Wittenberg University Cleveland College of Mortuary Science |
| Occupation | Politician, funeral director |
Robert Clayton Henry (July 16, 1921 – September 8, 1981) was an
Biography
Henry was born in Springfield, a son of Guy Henry and Nellie Reed. He attended
Henry was elected to Springfield's city commission in 1961, and began his term in January 1962. The commission then appointed him as the city's mayor in 1966, succeeding Maurice K. Baach, the city's first
Aside from his political career, Henry was also the owner and operator of the Robert C. Henry Funeral Home, founded in 1951. He also continued to serve as head of charity drives and numerous civic organizations in the Springfield area. He was honored by a parade and banquet in Springfield on Robert C. Henry Day during Black History Month. A fountain in downtown Springfield was dedicated to his memory, and a retirement home complex also bears his name.
Henry died in 1981 after a battle with cancer. His remains are interred in Ferncliff Cemetery Mausoleum.
Henry's former son-in-law, Tim Ayers, was also a member of Springfield's city commission, and later, mayor. All three of Henry's children currently reside in Springfield, where they continue to operate the funeral home that bears his name. It is one of few, if not the only, second-generation African-American-owned and -operated businesses in Springfield.
References
External links
- Robert C. Henry – Ohio History Central
- Careers Beginning & Ending, Time Magazine