Western Farmer-Stockman Magazines’ former general manager dies at 85

Thomas Henry, who had a long career with Western Farmer-Stockman Magazines in Spokane, has died in The Dalles, Oregon, at the age of 85.

Henry was the first general manager of the group of magazines, which were owned by Cowles Co., the publisher of The Spokesman-Review. Until he got the job in 1982, the magazines had been under the same management as The Spokesman-Review and Spokane Chronicle.

Now called Northwest Farmer-Stockman Inc., the business unit sells insurance to farmers and ranchers; the magazine operation was sold in 1996.

Henry was born in Friendsville, Tennessee, and played semi-pro baseball for three years. While stationed with the U.S. Army in Alaska, he worked part time for the Fairbanks News Miner. He joined that newspaper full time after he was discharged and worked as a reporter, city editor and sports columnist.

From 1953 to 1965, he operated a mill and grain company in Baker, Oregon, then returned to journalism in Salem. He was hired by the Farmer-Stockman magazines in 1967 as an agricultural writer and rose through the ranks.

“I worked with Tom for several years,” said Mike Craigen, who succeeded Henry as general manager. “Although his background was editorial, he was a very smart businessman and picked up advertising and insurance quickly.”

When he retired in 1990, he was associate publisher of the magazines.

He was affiliated with various organizations during his 23-year career in Spokane, including the State Farm Magazine Bureau, the Agricultural Publishers Association, plus the Elks, Rotary, American Legion, VFW and the Ag Bureau. Henry also was an expert bridge player.

He is survived by two sons, Blair Henry and Dane Henry, both of Arizona, and a daughter, Katie Henry of The Dalles, Oregon. Henry moved from Spokane to The Dalles in 2011 to be closer to his daughter.

There will be no services, his family said.