Henderson honored for service

The Association of Idaho Cities posthumously honored Frank Henderson with the Ken Harward Award at the 68th AIC Annual Conference in Boise, June 10-12.

The Ken Harward Award was established to recognize exceptional contributions benefiting city governments in Idaho. Harward was city administrator and finance director for the city of Nampa for 24 years and his visionary planning was integral to the development of Nampa Recreation Center, the Centennial-Ridgecrest golf complex, the Nampa Civic Center and the Idaho Center. Harward was also AIC's longest-serving executive director.

The award was accepted on behalf of Henderson by Post Falls Mayor Ron Jacobson at the conference. Jacobson then presented the award to Post Falls City Councilwoman Betty Ann Henderson, Frank's wife, at Tuesday night's city council meeting.

Henderson served in the U.S. Army 33rd Division in World War II. He attended the University of Idaho and began his career in journalism as a reporter for the Chicago Herald American newspaper. He also worked as a marketing executive before returning to Idaho in 1976 and becoming the owner and publisher of the Post Falls Tribune.

Frank served as Post Falls mayor from 1980 to 1983, as Kootenai County commissioner from 1983 to 1991 and served 10 years in the Idaho House of Representatives. Frank was selected to chair the House Business Committee one day after he celebrated his 90th birthday.

Frank was a charter member of American Legion Post 143 in Post Falls, received the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for Volunteerism and was inducted into the Idaho Hall of Fame in 2014.

"Frank was a humble man who did not crave the spotlight," an AIC press release states. "Throughout his career and life, he was a focused, organized, direct, driven and solution-oriented leader. His priorities as a local elected official and legislator were growing and diversifying Idaho's economy and building the infrastructure to support economic growth.

On April 27 this year, Henderson died peacefully after a long battle with cancer, surrounded by family and close friends at Hospice House of North Idaho.