Joseph Louis "Joe" Hensley, died Monday, August 27, 2007 of complications from Leukemia. A long time resident of Madison, Indiana, he passed away at King's Daughters' Hospital in that community. He was 81. A retired lawyer, prosecuting attorney, Indiana General Assembly Member, and former Circuit Court Judge, he wrote science fiction and crime fiction as Joe L. Hensley and Louis J. A. Adams. After publishing short fiction in the 1950s, his first published novel was The Color of Hate, published by Ace in 1960. He went on to publish 20 more novels and collections, over half of them in the Donald Robak series, plus approximately 100 short stories. His final novel, Snowbird's Blood is scheduled for release by St. Martin's Press in early 2008. Joe was a First Fandom Dinosaur (which meant he was active in science fiction fandom prior to July 4, 1939) and he received the First Fandom Hall of Fame Award in 2006. He was also a member of the Mystery Writers of America, the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).

Joseph Hensley at MidwestCon in 2002

Funeral services will be conducted Friday, August 31, 2007 at 11 AM at the Morgan & Nay Funeral Centre, 325 Demaree Drive, Madison, Indiana. Private Interment will be in the St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery in Madison, Indiana, with military honors conducted by Jefferson Post 9, of the American Legion. Friends may call Thursday from 5 - 8 PM and Friday from 10 AM until time of the service.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army; Friends of Shawe & Pope John or the Yunker Foundation.

Posted August 28, 2007