MENU
SECTIONS
OTHER
CLASSIFIEDS
CONTACT US / FAQ
Advertisement
Henry Heffner came to town and immediately became immersed in community affairs.
MORE

Swanton's new councilman is 82, and he keeps a full slate of activities

Swanton's new councilman is 82, and he keeps a full slate of activities

SWANTON - Henry Heffner can't sit still for very long.

The newest Swanton village councilman has things to do, he says.

There are reading lessons to give a young pupil, committee meetings, a part-time job, and now there's the business of running a village.

Advertisement

Henry Heffner is 82 and having the time of his life.

His standard answer to “How are you, Henry?” is: “I'm just fantastic, but I'll get better!”

At an age when most men are retired, or at least tired, Mr. Heffner has started yet another career, his first as an elected government official.

“Henry's a rookie only in terms of sitting at this table,” fellow council member Bob Gill says. “He acts like an old hand at it.”

Advertisement

Mr. Heffner has shown no shrinking violet demeanor on council but has jumped into any fray where he thinks the community might benefit, he says.

“My attitude is: `Put me in, Coach!'” he says.

Village administrator John Syx says Mr. Heffner adds invaluable lifetime experience to the council. “He's not one to sit around idle. His motivation is simply to improve the community. His sole goal is to help us make things better. He has no hidden agenda.”

“I need a challenge,” is how Mr. Heffner explains his fast pace and search for more “business” to take on.

“I am not going to retire and sit on the front porch and watch the world go by,” he says. “I like to be very active. I have to be active.”

Of his duties on village council, Mr. Heffner says: “You can't call it work when you enjoy it so much.”

Mr. Heffner only moved to Swanton three years ago. He had already been retired 15 years from a 35-year career with the national office of Junior Achievement, where he was a vice president. After that, he worked several years for an oil jobber.

In his 70s he took up acting in a summer theater. In A Streetcar Named Desire, he played a physician (“A bit part, but I got the girl.”).

He also became, briefly, a fashion-show model. “The other models were college kids. I was the gray-haired old man. But they welcomed me with open arms,” he says.

Mr. Heffner and Lillian, his wife of 60 years, built a house here after moving from Glasgow, Ky.

Their son and daughter-in-law, Henry IV and Rickye, both University of Toledo professors, live in Swanton.

The Heffners have another son, James, and a daughter, Suzanne, who live outside Ohio.

Soon after moving here, Mr. Heffner joined Swanton's Chamber of Commerce and Rotary.

He immersed himself in his new community and became a regular spectator at council meetings.

He was urged to run for a seat. He did, and was defeated.

“I wasn't disappointed,” Mr. Heffner says.

Even then, he continued to attend council meetings to watch what went on there.

Then, council was tossed into some turmoil when mayor Gary Moore resigned. Council president Bill Belinger automatically became mayor, but didn't want the job.

Mr. Belinger appointed councilman Tandy Grubbs president. Then, Mr. Belinger resigned as mayor, which made Mr. Grubbs mayor.

Six people applied for the vacant council seat. Mr. Heffner was picked over at least three former council members.

When he asked why he was chosen, he was told it was because he was always there, always interested.

“I thought my age might be against me, but they said no, we need some of your fresh ideas,” Mr. Heffner chuckles.

“So, here I am.”

“Before he even ran, Henry got up to speed on Swanton business,” councilman Gill says. “I applaud him for that.”

Mr. Heffner admits to having neither agenda nor ax to grind in the Swanton arena. “But certain things need attention,” he says.

“One is our Main Street, the so-called Streetscape project. It gets me that they talk about some things for years but don't do anything. I will try to push that,” he says

Being on council has only made Mr. Heffner turn his pace up a notch.

One day last week, he had a noon meeting and a countywide dinner at night.

The next day, he attended a meeting of the Fulton County Development Council (he is a member), followed by a training session for a new part-time job.

The following day, he spent the morning at Park Elementary School where he tutors two students in reading, followed by a Rotary meeting.

Swanton's rookie lawmaker says he's only following his father's lead, even if it took him 82 years to find a way into politics.

“My father, Henry, Jr., was mayor of East Hazelcrest, Ill., population 500, and also trustee and clerk. I once asked him, `Dad why do you do this?' He told me, `Because somebody has to help these people.'

“I guess I inherited some of that notion.”

First Published March 1, 2001, 1:39 p.m.

RELATED
SHOW COMMENTS  
Join the Conversation
We value your comments and civil discourse. Click here to review our Commenting Guidelines.
Must Read
Partners
Advertisement
Henry Heffner came to town and immediately became immersed in community affairs.
Advertisement
LATEST Print-Furniture
Advertisement
Pittsburgh skyline silhouette
TOP
Email a Story