Former Sen. Henson Barnes dies
By Steve Herring
Published in News on November 23, 2015 1:46 PM
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Henson Barnes
Former state Sen. Henson Barnes is being remembered this morning for his friendly personality and his "tireless" work on behalf of his beloved Wayne County and eastern North Carolina.
Barnes, who led Wayne County's delegation in the General Assembly as the president pro tem of the state Senate, died Sunday. He was 81.
Barnes was the most powerful legislator in the state in his day, reaching the top post in the Senate after serving in both chambers.
A memorial service will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church.
"When I first came to Goldsboro in late 1967, came back to practice, Henson Barnes was here as a young lawyer," said former state Rep. Phil Baddour. "Anybody who saw him and saw his dedication to the practice of law, and to this community from the very early days as young lawyer, knew that he was destined to be a star.
"He was already a rising star. He loved this community. He loved eastern North Carolina. He worked tirelessly to improve it -- roads, economic development, whatever. His leadership was recognized across the state of North Carolina."
Henson was a great lawyer who loved the law and was a mentor to young lawyers, himself included, Baddour said.
"He was somebody that you would look up to and admire and see as a shining example of the very best of the citizen lawyer," Baddour said. "He was a good man.
"He cared deeply about people. He cared deeply about the people of Wayne County. There was not a mean bone in his body. He always had a smile, a twinkle in his eye."
Former state legislator and U.S. Congressman Martin Lancaster said he was honored to have been asked to take part in Barnes' funeral service.
"While I was in law school I interned in Henson's office one summer," Lancaster said. "It was the summer of 1965 as I recall. So we have been close friends and professional associates since then. Of course we served together in the Legislature."
Barnes was a people person and was always the same no matter where someone saw him, Lancaster said.
"That is why he was so effective," Lancaster said. "He always was the same person whenever you saw him. He was just a kind, gentle and happy soul. He was just a great guy and people were drawn to him. He had that kind of personality that people felt the friendliness and that also came through when he was before a jury. Jurors liked him, too. He would do well with juries.
"Whether in the Legislature, or his law practice, he was always well prepared. Whatever he did, he was effective at it."
Barnes was first elected to the state House in 1974 and to the Senate in 1976, where he continued to serve until 1992. From 1988 until 1992, Barnes served as the president pro tempore for the Senate, a position that allowed him to influence government policy statewide.
He was the founding member of the law firm of Haithcock, Barfield, Hulse & Kinsey and practiced law in Wayne County for many years, retiring in 1997 to return to his blueberry farm in Bladen County.
Barnes was born on a Bladen County farm. He served as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army and worked his way through college, graduating with a degree in law from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.