The governor is ordering flags to be flown at half-staff for a former La Porte County resident and state senator who passed away.

Dennis Neary died recently.  He was 80.

Neary was a member of the Indiana Senate from 1976 to 1992.  For several years, the Democrat was elected by his colleagues as the senate minority leader.  He was also the La Porte County chairman for the campaign of Robert Kennedy when he ran for president in 1968.

Neary was a teacher at Long Beach Elementary School for more than 20 years.  More recently, he lived in Carmel where he passed away at his home.

The governor directed flags to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset Friday in La Porte and Hamilton counties.