June 29, 1929 - June 11, 2019
Henry was born in Wuelperode, Germany, where he trained to be the fourth generation of village blacksmiths. However, war and the subsequent division of Germany resulted in his eventual immigration to Canada in 1952.
He settled into work as a welder in Regina, and later as a pipe mill manager and designer. Henry was known as a hard worker, creative problem solver and later as a fair and kind boss to his staff. In Regina, he also met and married Margot Hasche, his beloved wife of 61 years, who immigrated from Berlin, Germany in 1953.
Together they built a life with their three daughters, Gudrun and Sigrid, twins born in 1955 and Dagmar born in 1958. The family moved to Calgary in 1966, where Henry took a management position at Prudential Steel. In 1979 Henry and Margot moved to Wynndel to fulfill their dream of living a country life. Here, Margot began a pottery business and together they grew an organic garden and orchard. Henry continued his work as a pipe mill consultant, most notably in the design and construction of Ram Steel (Red Deer).
After retirement, Henry dedicated himself to community work and activism. He worked hard for the Wynndel community as a long-time board member and volunteered for the Wynndel Community Hall where he is remembered as the only man to help in the kitchen. A community leader, he was instrumental in the construction of the fire hall and in maintaining the community pool including installing the first solar heating system. Henry and Margot were dedicated environmentalists, active in the Green Party and as founding members of the East Kootenay Environmental Society (now Wildsight). With a strong sense of social justice, Henry's letters to the editor became an important outlet for his views. Henry and Margot moved from Wynndel to Crestview Village, Creston, in 2010. In his later years, Henry was devoted husband to Margot, working tirelessly to help her through disability and illness. He will be remembered for his kind, generous, good humoured nature; his curiosity, intelligence and love of story-telling; his appreciation of order and structure; his handyman skills with the ability to build, fix and make all manner of things; and his drive to strive for a better world.
He is predeceased by wife, Margot Dahle (2016), parents Heinrich Dahle and Else (Mueller) Dahle, sisters Ilse Preusser and Margarete Niehoff, and survived by daughters Dagmar Dahle (Hester Jiskoot), Gudrun Dahle (Robert Jobst), Sigrid Dahle (Larry Kusch) and granddaughter Emma Kusch-Dahle. Henry was very grateful for the Medical Assistance in Dying Program; the kind, hard-working staff at Crestview Village; the care he received at the Creston Hospital; Dr. Tara Guthrie; the Home Care and Home Support teams; and kind support of his friend Corinne Wilcox. Henry's life can be honoured by donations to the David Suzuki Foundation or Wildsight.