Lawrence Henry was everywhere when it came to politics and the law in Denver.
The former legislator and former U.S. attorney was 90 when he died Oct. 25. A service is planned for 10 a.m. today at Horan McConaty Chapel, 1091 S. Colorado Blvd.
When he was elected at 25 to the Colorado House of Representatives, he was the youngest to serve in the legislature and was dubbed the “baby legislator.”
But neither that nor the fact that his party was often in the minority slowed him down.
“He wasn’t fearful of the legislature and put energy into everything he did,” said Herrick Roth, who served with Henry in both houses of the General Assembly. “He never let up.
“I’m a great admirer of his,” Roth said. “He was one of my best friends.”
Henry was the first person to sign onto a bill sponsored by Roth, the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, and always worked for civil rights.
Henry was so busy with work – in the legislature, or working for political candidates or being an attorney – that he sometimes missed family events.
His son Michael Henry said, “My mother was in labor with me when Dad was out ringing doorbells” in a campaign. Michael Henry, of Denver, said he doesn’t know whether his father got to the hospital before his birth.
Lawrence M. Henry was born Oct. 1, 1915, in Denver and graduated from Manual High School, Regis College and the University of Denver law school.
He was a state representative before serving in the Army starrting in 1942. While stationed in London, he met Mary Jane Kelly of Pennsylvania, who worked in the U.S. Embassy. They were married Oct. 27, 1945.
When he returned to Denver, Henry became chief deputy clerk of the Denver Probate Court and was elected a state representative and then a state senator. In 1951 he was elected chairman of the Denver Democratic Party, serving 10 years, and was chairman of the Colorado delegation to the Democratic National Convention that nominated John F. Kennedy for president.
Kennedy named Henry as U.S. attorney for Colorado.
Henry left the party several years ago because of its support for abortion rights and gay rights, said his daughter Christine Harlan of Pasadena, Calif.
But Roth laughed. “I don’t think he changed parties. He was born into the Democratic Party.”
In addition to his wife, son and daughter, Henry is survived by two other daughters, Kevin Ann Oltjenbruns of Fort Collins and Mary Williams of Aurora; another son, Kelly Henry of Arvada; and nine grandchildren.
Staff writer Virginia Culver can be reached at 303-820-1223 or vculver@denverpost.com.
