Obituary of Henry Warkentin

WARKENTIN: It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our husband, dad, and grandpa, Henry Warkentin, on Saturday, April 15, 2017 at Hillcrest Place Personal Care Home, Brandon, MB. Henry was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on May 13, 1935 to Johann and Maria Warkentin. He was the youngest of seven children. He grew up on a farm near Pigeon Lake, Manitoba where he attended St. Francis Xavier West School completing Grade 5. His family then moved to a farm South of Whitewater in 1946 and he attended Mountainside School. Henry attended Whitewater Mennonite Church in Boissevain, where he took part in youth activities. It was here he spent time getting to know Margaret Albrecht and they married on June 16, 1962. They began their life together on the Warkentin home farm, where they raised grain, cattle and chickens. Three children blessed their marriage: Don, Pam and Jodi. Henry loved to fish and hunt deer or moose. Over the years he made regular moose hunting trips up North with a friend. Later, he shared these interests with his son, Don. In 1987, they sold the family farm and moved to a hobby farm South of Brandon where he focused on raising purebred Salers cattle. During this time, they showed their cattle at the Brandon Ag-Ex Fair. The last year he showed cattle, Henry was awarded the Grand Champion Salers Bull Banner, of which he was very proud. In 2001, they moved to the Monterey Estates Park on the North Hill in Brandon. After retirement, Henry loved helping out at his daughter Jodi's small acreage, just South of Brandon. In 2002, Henry was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He had seven weeks of radiation treatments in Winnipeg, spending the weekdays at his daughter Pam's home, and then coming home on weekends. After that, he was able to get future treatments in Brandon. Over the next number of years, Henry and Margaret enjoyed numerous trips together; heading East twice to the Maritimes and Newfoundland, up to the Northwest Territories and Alaska, down to the Grand Canyon, to BC to visit family, a bus tour to Branson as well as a road trip that took them through 17 southern US states. Many of these miles were traveled in their fifth-wheel and later, a camper van. In the summer of 2015, he began having more serious health issues. In March of 2016, he was hospitalized and remained in the Brandon Assiniboine Centre for nine months before moving to Hillcrest Place Personal Care Home in January. Henry is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Margaret; his son Don Warkentin (Lois) and daughters Pam Friesen (Ed) and Jodi Anderson (Jim); his grandchildren: Chelsea and Myles Warkentin, Stacey and Rachel Friesen, Madison (Levi) and Justin Anderson; his brother George (Anne), sisters Elizabeth Voth, Margaret (Peter) Franz, Sue Doerksen, and sister-in-law Hilda Warkentin. He was predeceased by his parents, Johann and Maria Warkentin; sister Mary Voth; brother John; parents-in-law, Henry and Susan Albrecht; brothers-in-law, John Doerksen, Abe Voth, George Voth. The Funeral will be held at Faith Fellowship Baptist Church, 4 Willowdale Crescent, Brandon, MB on Friday, April 21, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. Viewing will be at the Church prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, donations in Henry's memory may be made to the Brandon Regional Health Centre Foundation, "Western Manitoba Cancer Centre," 150 McTavish Ave. East, Brandon, MB, R7A 2B3 or a charity of your choice.