By Jeremy Slayton
Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va.
GOOCHLAND COUNTY, Va. — Earl Henson Henley played a key role in preserving Goochland County’s history.
Earl Henson Henley left a lasting legacy in Goochland County, and his fingerprints linger on the county he called home.
Described by his friends as Mr. Goochland County or Mr. Everything in Goochland County, Mr. Henley wore many hats during a life dedicated to the improvement and advancement of his community.
“He was a pioneer and visionary in transforming a rural county into one that is increasingly suburban,” said Ross Mackenzie, retired editor of the editorial pages for the Richmond Times-Dispatch and a resident of Goochland for more than 40 years.
Mr. Henley, who served as fire chief in Goochland for 33 years and spent 25 years on the Board of Supervisors, died Saturday at his Manakin home from a brief illness. He was 87.
A funeral is planned for Tuesday at Parham Chapel of Woody Funeral Home, 1771 N. Parham Road in Henrico County. Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Gardens, 12609 Patterson Ave.
A native of Goochland, Mr. Henley had little formal education, dropping out of school in the eighth grade to take a job at the former McIntyre Implement Co., but he “had a natural talent for leadership; people seemed to admire and encourage him,” said his wife of 61 years, Lois Parker Henley.
Mr. Henley served in the Marine Corps during World War II aboard the USS Independence. He saw action in the battle of Iwo Jima and witnessed raising of the American flag at the top of Mount Suribachi.
Close to home, Mr. Henley played an instrumental role in preserving local history, the writing of zoning ordinances, the establishment of building codes, drawing the water-and-sewer design standards and the creation of a county public-health center.
“Earl got things done in a manner that people wanted to work with him and go the extra mile to get it done,” said Charles S. Luck III, chairman of the board of Luck Stone, a Goochland business.
Mr. Henley helped organize and was one of the first members of Goochland’s volunteer fire and rescue units in 1951. Four years later he became fire chief, a position he held until his retirement in 1988.
Responding to fires and accidents, he saw horrific things during his career. When someone was left homeless by a fire, Mr. Henley “always helped them find a place to stay,” his wife said.
His involvement in Goochland County didn’t end there. He was a businessman, owning a gas station in Manakin for nine years and operating a landscaping and fencing business, Manakin Service Center, until his retirement in 1992.
He also served as a county magistrate and a member of the School Board, the Planning Commission and the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission.
C.B. Robertson III, a Goochland resident and president of CBR Associates, described Mr. Henley as a caring and giving person who wanted to contribute to the community.
In an 1988 interview with the Richmond News Leader, Mr. Henley said: “I like to do things in the county for people. Helping your fellow man and that sort of thing is the joy of life.”
In 1991, President George H.W. Bush recognized Mr. Henley as a “point of light” for his community service to Goochland.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Henley’s survivors include three sisters, Helen Ingram of Phoenix, Edith Durrette and Hilda Bailey, both of Richmond; and a brother, Howard H. Henley of Manakin.
Copyright 2008 Richmond Times - Dispatch