Pastor Dennis Strawn may not have been from Ironton originally but he embraced his adopted home wholeheartedly, immersing himself, his family and his congregation at First Baptist Church fully into the community.

That makes the announcement of his pending departure that much more painful.

After more than two decades at the Ironton church, a time in which he led many projects that impacted the community including the construction of the $1.3 million faith and Fitness Center, Strawn felt he was being called by the Lord to move on to help another community.

Strawn is heading back to Illinois, the state where he went to school.

He will certainly be missed by his parishioners, as well as the community as a whole, for the way he carried himself and the way he led the charge to be a community leader.

Under Strawn’s guidance Ironton First Baptist Church accomplished many things to help improve people’s lives including coat drives, food drives, allowing the Ironton school district to utilize the facility during construction of new facilities and converting the center into a relief shelter after flooding hit our region hard a few years ago.

For that and more, Strawn will be greatly missed.

Oftentimes, it is our native sons and daughters making the biggest impact on their home. Other times those who come to call Ironton and Lawrence County home can have just as powerful effect.