McIntyre: A force of nature

To say Henrietta McIntyre, who passed away Monday at the age of 91, was one of a kind, would be an understatement. She was a nonpolitical politician who entered the public service arena for all the right reasons. She became one of the first women elected to the Warner Robins City Council in 1974 and for the next 21 years would serve in that capacity. Her career also included serving as interim mayor for a year, making her the first and only woman in the city’s history to hold its highest office.

She stepped into the mayor’s role during a difficult time in the history of Warner Robins. The mayor, police chief and the police department’s second in command were convicted in a scandal to blackmail a city councilman and political rival of the mayor. McIntyre is credited with not only holding the city together during that tumultuous period, but calming the waters and setting it on a course to succeed.

Even when she retired from politics, she didn’t retire. She regularly held court in council chambers and you can bet council members kept an eye on her to see whether she agreed with the goings on or — God be with you — disagreed. She was never one to hold her tongue — with high praise or, if need be, motherly advice to get your act together.

McIntyre was a force of nature in Warner Robins and her legacy can be seen all around. While others may take due credit for the area’s growth, it may not have happened at all if she had not effectively stepped into the breach in 1993 and pulled the community back together. She set the table for the mayors who followed and it is on her shoulders they now stand.

This story was originally published August 11, 2016 at 9:00 PM with the headline "McIntyre: A force of nature."