County continues to lose pillars of the community
A community which has lost several of its most influential and honorable citizens in recent months was hard hit by two more deaths Friday.
The losses of longtime Morrison Mayor Harris C. Jacobs Jr., and youth sports enthusiast Leslie Henegar add to a growing list of community-minded individuals who have passed away this year.
It began with the shock of Bill Gilley’s death at the start of the summer — less than two days after the new swimming pool was named in his honor. Each time Warren countians think it’s time to stop grieving, we have been hit with yet another passing that makes us reflect upon a lifetime of good deeds.
Phil Hyatt, Ben Banerjee, Ron Martin – they all fit that mold. The same can be said for Harris C. Jacobs and Leslie Henegar.
When it came to ball games at the Civic Center, few people were more involved than Leslie Henegar. It was his goal to make sure every child who wanted to play T-ball, baseball or softball was given the chance.
That meant as McMinnville grew, the Civic Center complex where games were played had to grow along with the city’s population. More kids meant more participation and more ball fields too, but Henegar was up to the challenge.
When looking at our community and the great many assets we enjoy here, the Civic Center has to be one of the first things on the list. And Henegar’s contributions are greatly appreciated for everything he did to make that facility – and McMinnville’s youth leagues – better.
Being a league commissioner, or president of the entire baseball organization, doesn’t have a paycheck attached with it. What does come with it is a tremendous responsibility, and an occasional controversy. Henegar served not for money but out of the goodness of his heart.
When it comes to Mayor Jacobs, the entire city of Morrison was his ball field. From his 50 years of service as a volunteer fireman, to his 33 years of service as the city’s mayor, Jacobs did what he could to improve the quality of life in Morrison.
If that meant constructing a city park for the kids or writing grants to obtain a new fire truck, Jacobs was more than willing to do the work. One of the things which makes Morrison such a tight-knit community is its Ruritan Club and Jacobs was a charter member of that organization.
The hours Jacobs spent volunteering his time to make Morrison a more attractive community would be impossible to document. He was involved in seemingly everything and accomplished so much.
Finding people who will step in and serve the community the way Henegar and Jacobs did for so many years will be no easy task. It has been said you never truly replace men like them. Someone else may take over their job, but they are never replaced.
That is certainly the case with Harris C. Jacobs and Leslie Henegar. Through their efforts, Warren County is a better place to call home.