PASSING THE TORCH: FORMER GOVERNOR RETIRES FROM LEGAL AID

CHARLESTON -- When former Gov. Warren E. Hearnes resigns Sunday as executive director of Southeast Missouri Legal Services Inc., he plans to spend a lot of his newfound free time on the fairways.

"I'm going to play golf, but I called Tiger Woods and told him not to worry," joked Hearnes, who spent over 40 years in public service, incuding eight as Missouri governor.

Hearnes, 73, says he doesn't expect his golf game to be as good as it was when he was governor over 25 years ago.

"As you get older your seven irons become six irons, and then sometimes 5 irons; you just don't get that distance," he said. "I used to hit a pretty far drive. It's a lot tougher these days."

When he was governor, the people he golfed with were a lot easier on him.

"They'd say, 'That's good, Gov, pick it up,'" Hearnes said with a smile. "Now they say, 'Putt it out, putt it out.'"

He'll do other things too: He has three grandchildren in St. Louis he wants to spend more time with, and his wife, former state Rep. Betty Hearnes, is trying to persuade him to write a book of memoirs.

While Hearnes looks at where he is going -- insisting he will find projects to keep him busy like helping with the transition of new Southeast Missouri Legal Services director Lew Polovick -- he doesn't mind taking a few minutes to reflect on where he has been.

Hearnes considers himself a good ole' Charleston boy, born and bred. He graduated from Charleston High School in 1941. He married in Charleston in 1948, and 10 years later he opened a law office there.

"It's a small town, and I like it here," he said. "It has its problems like anywhere else."

His political career began in 1950, when he was elected a Democratic state representative in Mississippi County. In his spare time, he went to law school, graduating with a juris doctorate degree from the University of Missouri. In 1956, he became majority floor leader of the state House of Representatives. In 1960, he became Missouri's secretary state.

It all prepped him for a gubernatorial run four years later. He won despite opposition of many Democratic party organizations.

Drawing inspiration from fellow Democrats Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, Hearnes served two terms as governor, becoming the first to do that consecutively. He said he is proud of his accomplishments as governor. They included raising state aid to education, established 38 sheltered workshop programs and nine regional clinics for the mentally retarded, and setting up several scholarships for the needy.

"As governor, one article called me charismatic but cocky," Hearnes said. "I don't remember being cocky, and I know I wasn't charismatic."

He is also proud of his most recent accomplishment: Sixteen years as executive director of Southeast Missouri Legal Services, which provides legal aid to the indigent.

He loved his work, though it was a rough beginning back in 1981. He was appointed amid controversy by a slim majority of the board of directors.

"There was a lot of controversy," Hearnes said. "The first two or three years weren't pleasant, but I was bull headed enough to see it through."

There were protests, lawsuits and pickets, he said, and during that time he wondered why he ever got into the business.

The controversy surrounded Hearnes changing the organization from a staff system to a judicare system.

The old system used primarily inexperienced staff attorneys in legal aid offices at Caruthersville, Sikeston and Poplar Bluff. The new policy combined all of the offices into a regional office at Charleston and terminated full-time people who staffed those offices.

The judicare method allowed private attorneys all over Southeast Missouri to work for reduced fees. They made some money; the rest of their unmet expenses could be considered pro bono work, Hearnes said.

It allowed those who could not afford legal services to go to a lawyer in their hometown and not have to travel to one of the three offices.

"It was difficult at first," he said. "But now, after I look back over it, just the idea to see the indigent have equal access to justice as a person who is not indigent -- that made it all worthwhile as far as I was concerned."

After those bumpy years, it was smooth sailing as he performed his daily duties of heading the staff, previewing cases and budgeting the organization that provides legal services to roughly 4,000 Southeast Missourians a year.

"He's been a godsend to the organization," said Steve Holden, the senior member of the board of directors. "It wouldn't exist if Gov. Hearnes hadn't accepted our invitation to be executive director. He has stamina, knowledge and expertise to help an organization that was upside down."

His staff feels the same way.

"I love him," said Jeanne Adkisson, who has worked at Legal Aid since 1983. "I'm impressed the way he handles situations. He deals with people on a personal basis. I'm sad that he's leaving."

"I want him to do what he wants to do," said his wife. "I think he's worked hard and he's had his share of lots of stress and accomplishments, and I think he deserves this," Betty Hearnes said.

She said her husband will find something to do. "There'll be no sitting around, not at our house."

Said the ex-governor: "You know the old Kennedy saying: 'You have to pass the torch and new faces may have new ideas.' But ever since I could remember, I've been getting up and going to work every day. I wonder if I'll be able to sit still or not."

WARREN E. HEARNES

* Born July 24, 1923: Lived and raised in Charleston* May 1941: Graduated from Charleston High School* 1943: Drafted, U.S. Army, appointed to U.S. Military Academy -- West Point* 1946: Graduated from West Point with a bachelor of science degree; commissioned as a second lieutenant, infantry* 1948: Married Betty Cooper of Charleston* 1949: Discharged from Army due to injury* 1950: Entered University of Missouri Law School; ran for and elected state representative from Mississippi County* 1952: Graduated from law school; opened law office in East Prairie.* 1956: Elected Majority Floor Leader of the Missouri House of Representatives, served 1957-1961* 1958: Opened law office in Charleston* 1960: Ran for and was elected Secretary of State* 1964: Won Democratic primary for governor of Missouri. Although opposed by party organizations; he was elected governor in November; * 1973: Opened law offices in Charleston and St. Louis* 1976: Ran for and lost bid for U.S. Senate* 1977: Closed St. Louis office, practiced law in Charleston* 1978: Ran for state auditor* 1979: Appointed Circuit Judge of the 33rd district* 1980: Ran for circuit judge* 1981: Became executive director of the Southeast Missouri Legal Services, Inc.* June 1, 1997: Retires as director