Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry passes away

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – Tom Henry, who led Fort Wayne as the city’s mayor for four full terms and served the community for many years beforehand, has passed away.

The city of Fort Wayne and Henry family made the announcement Thursday. He was 72.

In the statement from the Henry family, they said, “Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry passed away peacefully Thursday, March 28, 2024, after experiencing a medical emergency related to his cancer. In the early morning hours of Wednesday, March 27, Mayor Henry was privately transported to a local hospital at which time he and his family consulted at length with medical professionals including his oncologist. After careful consideration of the risks associated with surgical intervention, Mayor Henry opted for comfort measures. He died peacefully surrounded by his loving family.”

Shortly after beginning a historic fifth term as mayor, Henry announced in February he had been diagnosed with late-stage stomach cancer. The news came about a month after his wife, Cindy, died of pancreatic cancer on Jan. 20.

His family previously released a statement saying Henry had been placed in hospice care following a medical emergency Wednesday related to the cancer diagnosis.

Henry (D) was first elected mayor of Fort Wayne in 2007. Before that, Henry had spent five terms as a city council member from 1984 to 2004.

Born in 1951, he was one of 17 children in the Henry household. He graduated from Fort Wayne Central Catholic High School in 1970 and went on to serve his country in the Army until 1973. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and an MBA from the University of Saint Francis.

He and Cindy got married in 1975. The couple had two children and four grandchildren.

In December 2023, Henry sat down with WANE 15’s Dirk Rowley to recap the notable events of what would turn out to be his last full year as mayor. The month prior, he’d also talked with WANE 15’s Rex Smith to discuss his overarching plans for his fifth term as the city’s leader.

The mayor made a number of appearances in the week leading up to his passing, most recently including Saturday at the Taste of Sister Cities Gala and a dinner celebrating Miss Indiana Cydney Bridges.

Among the many ways Henry’s impact lives on, Sammie’s Buddy Bench Project collected 1,000 milk jugs earlier this month that are being transformed into a bench with a plaque in honor of the mayor.

Details of funeral arrangements for Mayor Henry are expected to be announced in the coming days.

Below you can find reactions from public and local leaders.

Any words of sadness or condolences regarding the passing of Mayor Henry are inadequate. As a community, we have suffered an unmeasurable loss. The City of Fort Wayne has flourished immensely while he shepherded it and his accolades are numerous and well-deserved.

One of the Mayor’s greatest strengths was consistently selecting excellent staff leadership, which is why through this transition period Fort Wayne government is in excellent hands with Deputy Mayor Bandemer, the department heads, and our hard-working employees.

I mourn with the Henry family and our community as we not only grieve the passing of our Mayor, but our City’s visionary

Russ Jehl , Fort Wayne City Council, 2nd District

Today’s passing of Mayor Tom Henry is truly a sad day for the City of Fort Wayne, for Allen County, and for the citizens whom he has worked over the last forty plus years. From his time on City Council to today, Mayor Henry has fought to make our city and our county a better place for everyone. Alongside his late wife Cindy, Mayor Henry worked tirelessly to make Fort Wayne a city that everyone could call home. With additions like Promenade Park and the ever-growing skyline of downtown Fort Wayne to the building of new neighborhoods and communities across Fort Wayne, the positive legacy of Mayor Henry will be seen and felt for decades.

Our hearts go out to his two children, Benjamin and Elizabeth; and his four grandchildren, Anastasia, Nikolas, Alexandria, and Angelina; and to everyone in the Henry family as they mourn the loss of a loved and respected member of their family. We ask that everyone in our city and community keep the Henry family in their thoughts through this difficult time as we support them through this difficult and sad time.

Derek Camp, Allen County Democratic Party Chairman

I met with Mayor Tom Henry Tuesday afternoon (March 26), at 4 PM for about an hour. We had a very in depth and meaningful conversation about a number of issues and happenings in our city and in our neighborhoods. Mayor Henry shared with me some of the initiatives and plans he hoped to accomplish in his remaining months and years in office. He told me he felt well, and he would be actively involved with an agenda to keep our city moving forward, well into the 2020s.

As we parted, we shook hands and pledged to continue to work together with all of City Council, on a bi – partisan basis, for continued investment in our riverfront, downtown, and neighborhoods, and to continue the stabilization of our economic base. Sadly, news of his passing means we will have to move on without his visionary leadership and commitment to this wonderful city; a city he loved so much.

My heart goes out to Elizabeth and Ben, who just lost their wonderful mother, Cindy, two months ago. I know there is great sadness being shared by all of the Henry Family today, and the hearts of all Fort Wayne citizens are broken. We mourn this great loss to our community. But we must pledge to carry on his legacy, as he would want us to do.

Geoff Paddock, Fifth District City Councilman

We mourn the loss of our longtime friend and dedicated public servant, Mayor Tom Henry.

Mayor Henry embodied his city every single day, and he also transformed it during his historic tenure as mayor. Through charm, grit, humor and hard work, he led his hometown for over 16 years straight, a record.

While we grieve his passing and send our sincerest condolences to his beloved family, friends and the entire Fort Wayne community, we are also filled with peace knowing he is reunited with his partner in life, Cindy Henry.

Fort Wayne is a strong city, and it was made stronger because of the Henrys’ four decades of public service. Its future remains bright, and we have no doubt the city’s people will come together in the days ahead to build on the vision and accomplishments of Mayor Henry.

Mike Schmuhl, Indiana Democratic Party Chair

My heart goes out to the entire Henry family. Tom was a very good man who cared for this city . His passion and drive propelled the city forward. My sincere condolences to Tom’s children Ben & Beth in this very difficult time. 

Tom Didier, former Fort Wayne City Councilman

I am heartbroken by the news of Mayor Tom Henry’s passing today. Cancer took him from us too soon.

Mayor Henry is a giant in the history of our city. For over 16 unprecedented years, he led our community to remarkable growth in what matters most: making Fort Wayne a place where families want to plant roots.  

Tom’s love of Fort Wayne is what kept him going. Amid intense personal hardship – the loss of his beloved wife Cindy and his cancer diagnosis earlier this year – he kept working for our city as mayor because that’s the type of person he was.  

I take solace in the fact that Tom will not be forgotten easily. You can see him all over Fort Wayne – in the flourishing small businesses, in kids playing in the parks and in the city skyline irrevocably shaped for the better by his vision and leadership.  

I am keeping the Henry family in my thoughts and prayers during this sorrowful time.

Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne), House Democratic Leader

I am incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of our beloved mayor. For nearly two decades, Tom has selflessly served our Fort Wayne community, and his dedication to Fort Wayne will not be forgotten.

It was not long ago that Mayor Henry announced his cancer diagnosis, and it is a shock to lose him so soon. In the face of his devastating condition, he remained committed to serving Fort Wayne in his capacity as mayor. I am grateful for his commitment to the betterment of Fort Wayne, which can be seen in every instance of his 40-year-long career in public service.

In losing Tom, Fort Wayne has truly lost an icon, but his legacy lives on. As we move forward, our community will honor the progress he made in Fort Wayne during his tenure. I want to personally extend my condolences to Tom’s family, and I look forward to celebrating his life and accomplishments as a community.

State Rep. Kyle Miller (D-Fort Wayne)