County Councilman Warren Henegar dies of cancer Tuesday

Long-time public servant Warren Henegar died Tuesday morning following a battle with cancer.

Henegar was a member of the Monroe County Council. After serving several terms on the council, he sought reelection in May’s primary election but was not chosen.

He also served the community as a member of the Monroe County Commissioners and ran for Indiana Congress unsuccessfully, Monroe County Council President Geoff McKim said.

Prior to his service as a local politician, Henegar fought in World War II.

“This is somebody who has dedicated his entire life to this country and this community right up to the day he died,” McKim said. “I did meet him through local politics, and he had really taken me under his wing. Up to the end, he has been a great friend. He will really leave a hole in our lives.”

McKim said Henegar was an advocate for veterans. Henegar was a soil scientist by trade, promoting clean water initiatives.

“(He) tried to get Lake Monroe declared as a conservation district,” McKim said. “That is something that, unfortunately, has not happened yet, but I think there’s still going to be a lot of interest in that. Hopefully someone will pick that up and carry on his legacy in that regard.”

Most recently, McKim said Henegar was an advocate for incarceration alternatives, juvenile issues and criminal justice reform.

“He was just really, really warm to anybody he met, and he would talk about anything,” McKim said. “He was well rounded in science, politics, literature, you name it.”

— Mark Keierleber