When I think of Uncle Henry a few memorable things come to mind...
Uncle Henry was an orderly man. This was evident in his farm. Even as a child I was in awe of Uncle Henry's farm, meticulous and organized, in contrast to many of my farm experiences. His machine shop, his farm yard, his National Geographic collection... all in order!
He was also from a generation that was resourceful, if you needed something you made it and if it was broken you fixed it. He built his farm house and multitudes of other projects. He loved his tools and machinery. I marvel that he left his expansive grain fields and farm land and adapted to retirement in a condominium complex!
Another thing about Uncle Henry... in our family his name is pretty much synonymous with tractors. Nobody can see a John Deere tractor without commenting on Uncle Henry! His love of collecting and showing scale model farm machinery brought much joy to himself and to the many others who enjoyed his collections.
The most important thing about Uncle Henry was that although he was a very quiet and reserved man, he often spoke in simple and confident words of his faith in God. It was a blessing to my family, during one of his California visits, to have him share his testimony at one of our church meetings. Today I know that Uncle Henry is rejoicing, free from the encumbrances of a worn-out body. I look forward to gathering and celebrating his life with family and friends!
