Obituary for Ronald Henhoeffer
Ronald Michael Peter Henhoeffer
September 29th, 1945 - December 16th, 2021
‘A life well loved is a life well lived.’
Ron passed away peacefully at his home with family at his bedside. He is survived by his wife Linda and their children; Charlene, Terry (Karen) and Jaret (Patti). Also by his grandchildren; Vir, Natasha, Bhim, Jacob, Alexis, Josh and Joy.
Growing up on his parents’ farm (Theodore and Helen) in Formosa, Ron enjoyed country life. Wanting the same for their young family, Ron and Linda purchased a small farm in Howick Township in 1970.
To support his family, Ron worked at Farmatic in Gorrie as a welder making automatic feed mills for farmers. Eventually he became the main employee making augers.
Busy years followed with Charlene, Terry and Jaret attending Howick Central School and F. E. Madill Secondary School. Hockey and skating at the newly built Community Centre, swimming lessons at the Gorrie pool and music lessons kept the household in constant motion. This changed when all three children went off to university and college. Ron was the proudest parent at their graduations!
Unfortunately Ron struggled with school work due to an undiagnosed learning disability and congenital retinal blindness in his right eye. This resulted in poor grades and teasing from siblings and classmates. He dropped out of high school and started working in factories. However, Ron never complained or felt sorry for himself. He simply shrugged his shoulders and got on with what he needed to do that day.
Bert Hones, the Plant Manager at Farmatic, encouraged and supported Ron to enroll in night courses and train to become a ‘Maintenance Millwright’. In 1994 Ron passed the three hour provincial examination with a 70% final mark.
Ron was totally in his element working as maintenance staff. He especially enjoyed working at DC Foods in Waterloo with their family atmosphere for twelve years prior to his retirement.
Retirement brought new opportunities for Ron as he turned his creative talents and energy to gardening. A charter member of the Howick Bloomers, Ron was a key player in their goal of making a new flowerbed along the south wall of the Community Centre. One thousand red and white Darwin tulips were planted to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday.
Also, as a charter member of the newly formed Huron Perth Garden Tours, Ron welcomed visitors from around the world to his ‘Purple Rooster’ gardens.
Community volunteer work filled many hours with Ron barbequing sausages and hamburgers at the Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings and growing heritage pumpkins to decorate the Community Centre for the fall fairs.
For Ron, life’s simple pleasures were a campfire in his backyard on a summer evening with friends, mowing his many acres of lawn with his beloved ‘little B’ Allis tractor and making a tire swing for his grandchildren.
Ron truly had a life well loved and lived.
A special thank you to Dr. Jan Piskorz and his staff for their thoughtful care of Ron throughout his Alzheimer's journey. Also, to Home Instead and One Care staff for their assistance enabling Ron to remain in his home.
A private funeral service and family celebration of Ron’s life has been arranged at the Hardy-Lee Funeral Home in Harriston with Reverend Jeff Hawkins officiating. Interment in Fordwich Cemetery.
Click here to view service.
In lieu of flowers a fitting tribute to Ron’s life would be a donation to the Huron County Alzheimer Society. They help local families cope with the many challenges faced in the Alzheimer’s journey.
Online condolences at www.hardyleefuneralhome.com
September 29th, 1945 - December 16th, 2021
‘A life well loved is a life well lived.’
Ron passed away peacefully at his home with family at his bedside. He is survived by his wife Linda and their children; Charlene, Terry (Karen) and Jaret (Patti). Also by his grandchildren; Vir, Natasha, Bhim, Jacob, Alexis, Josh and Joy.
Growing up on his parents’ farm (Theodore and Helen) in Formosa, Ron enjoyed country life. Wanting the same for their young family, Ron and Linda purchased a small farm in Howick Township in 1970.
To support his family, Ron worked at Farmatic in Gorrie as a welder making automatic feed mills for farmers. Eventually he became the main employee making augers.
Busy years followed with Charlene, Terry and Jaret attending Howick Central School and F. E. Madill Secondary School. Hockey and skating at the newly built Community Centre, swimming lessons at the Gorrie pool and music lessons kept the household in constant motion. This changed when all three children went off to university and college. Ron was the proudest parent at their graduations!
Unfortunately Ron struggled with school work due to an undiagnosed learning disability and congenital retinal blindness in his right eye. This resulted in poor grades and teasing from siblings and classmates. He dropped out of high school and started working in factories. However, Ron never complained or felt sorry for himself. He simply shrugged his shoulders and got on with what he needed to do that day.
Bert Hones, the Plant Manager at Farmatic, encouraged and supported Ron to enroll in night courses and train to become a ‘Maintenance Millwright’. In 1994 Ron passed the three hour provincial examination with a 70% final mark.
Ron was totally in his element working as maintenance staff. He especially enjoyed working at DC Foods in Waterloo with their family atmosphere for twelve years prior to his retirement.
Retirement brought new opportunities for Ron as he turned his creative talents and energy to gardening. A charter member of the Howick Bloomers, Ron was a key player in their goal of making a new flowerbed along the south wall of the Community Centre. One thousand red and white Darwin tulips were planted to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday.
Also, as a charter member of the newly formed Huron Perth Garden Tours, Ron welcomed visitors from around the world to his ‘Purple Rooster’ gardens.
Community volunteer work filled many hours with Ron barbequing sausages and hamburgers at the Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings and growing heritage pumpkins to decorate the Community Centre for the fall fairs.
For Ron, life’s simple pleasures were a campfire in his backyard on a summer evening with friends, mowing his many acres of lawn with his beloved ‘little B’ Allis tractor and making a tire swing for his grandchildren.
Ron truly had a life well loved and lived.
A special thank you to Dr. Jan Piskorz and his staff for their thoughtful care of Ron throughout his Alzheimer's journey. Also, to Home Instead and One Care staff for their assistance enabling Ron to remain in his home.
A private funeral service and family celebration of Ron’s life has been arranged at the Hardy-Lee Funeral Home in Harriston with Reverend Jeff Hawkins officiating. Interment in Fordwich Cemetery.
Click here to view service.
In lieu of flowers a fitting tribute to Ron’s life would be a donation to the Huron County Alzheimer Society. They help local families cope with the many challenges faced in the Alzheimer’s journey.
Online condolences at www.hardyleefuneralhome.com