Lawrence Michael Henry

LAWRENCE M. HENRY Former United States Attorney Lawrence M. Henry died on October 25, 2005 after a long illness. He was born October 1, 1915, to Michael J. and Rose F. Henry in Denver, Colorado. He attended Manual High School, and Regis College and earned a law degree in 1939 from the University of Denver Law School. He was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 1940 and was known as the Baby Legislator, the youngest person elected to the Colorado Legislature. Although he was exempted from the Selective Service draft as a state official, he resigned his seat in the legislature and volunteered for the Army as a private on May 15, 1942. In August of the same year, he was promoted to sergeant and sent to the United States Supply Headquarters in Cheltenham, England, where he took part in the supply effort of the Chemical Warfare Services in preparation for the Torch campaign in North Africa. He was hospitalized with pneumonia in Cheltenham and upon recovery was given a direct commission of second lieutenant and sent to London. Later promoted to captain, he was active in preparing for the use of both offensive and defensive Chemical Warfare Services weapons and supplies. During that period, the Nazis used V1 and V2 rockets to bomb London. In August 1945 he was awarded an honorary membership in the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire by King George VI. In London, he was married on October 27, 1945, to Mary Jane Kelly, a civilian employee in the U.S. Embassy in London, a daughter of former Congressman Clyde Kelly of Pennsylvania who sponsored the initial legislation establishing the U.S. Air Mail. After he and his wife returned to Denver, he was discharged from the Army in May, 1946, as a major and was soon appointed as the Chief Deputy Clerk of the Denver Probate Court. In November 1946, he was again elected as a state representative from Denver. In 1948, he was elected to the Colorado State Senate and served for four years. In 1951, he was elected the Denver County Democratic Party Chairman and served in that position for ten years. In 1960, he was elected Colorado Democratic National Committee Man and was the Colorado Delegation Chairman at the Los Angeles National Democratic Convention where John F. Kennedy was nominated as the Democratic candidate for President. After President Kennedy's election, Henry was appointed as the United States Attorney for the District of Colorado and served in that office for eight years. He was admitted to practice law in the Supreme Court of the United States. He served on the Denver Board of Adjustment-Zoning for 15 years as an appointee of Mayor Bill McNichols. He was with the law firm of Atler and Zall for several years. He is survived by his dear wife, Mary Jane Henry; five children: L. Michael Henry, Denver; Kevin Ann Oltjenbruns (Ken), Fort Collins; Christine Harlan (Mark), Pasadena, California; Kelly Henry (Laurel), Arvada; and Mary Williams (David), Aurora; and nine grandchildren. Funeral Services will be Monday, October 31, 2005, 10:00 a.m., Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 1091 South Colorado Boulevard. Interment, Fort Logan National Cemetery. Contributions may be made to Samaritan Shelter, 2301 Lawrence Street, Denver, CO, 80205, where he worked as a volunteer for several years.