By DANIEL SUDDEATH
During his 28 years as a trooper for the Indiana State Police, Hanzel Barclay cruised many roads and interstates before retiring and eventually serving on the Greenville Town Council.
As a fitting tribute, residents of the small Floyd County town will soon be able to remember the Air Force veteran every time they drive or take a stroll down Hanzel Barclay Drive.
He was the first known councilman to die while still in office when he passed away unexpectedly March 27 of a heart attack. Barclay’s peers on the council decided to honor him by renaming the street he resided along in the Parkland Heights subdivision.
“He was a great guy. The best thing about him was that he was a quiet person, but he was fair and honest and always had the best interest of the town and citizens that he represented,” Councilwoman Patti Hayes said.
A ceremony is slated for 4 p.m. Sunday in front of Barclay’s old home at 6125 Woodland Drive, where his wife still resides. The street name will then change following the event.
Both of Barclay’s sons followed in his footsteps to serve as ISP troopers, a job he retired from in 1995. Jim Pierce took Barclay’s place on the council after his passing.
Hayes lives in Parkland Heights and remembers talking with Barclay about issues concerning Greenville before she decided to seek public office.
“It’s been rough for me. I don’t know if it was because we were practically neighbors — I feel the void, I really do,” she said.
Council President Talbotte Richardson said it was a shock when the visibly healthy Barclay died from a heart attack. He described his former fellow councilman as passionate and respectful.
“He served the community well — he was always available to the community,” Richardson said.
SO YOU KNOW
• A ceremony honoring Hanzel Barclay is slated for 4 p.m. Sunday in front of Barclay’s old home at 6125 Woodland Drive, where his wife still resides. The street name will then change to Hanzel Barclay Drive following the event.
