July 11, 1942 - August 25, 2024
Merv Henry was a great man, a great friend, a great father and grandfather. Mervyn (Charles Mervyn Henry), aged 82, of West Vancouver (and Halfmoon Bay and North Vancouver), passed away in the wee hours of August 25, 2024. He was born to the late Benjamin and Muriel Henry (nee Stoliker) on July 11, 1942, in Chilliwack, BC, where he grew up together with his older sister, Donna. As his mother Muriel died when he was just 12 years old, Donna helped to raise him through his teens. That support may have faltered when Merv, hiding up in a tree, urinated on Donna and her boyfriend having a picnic below.
Merv graduated from UBC economics and worked in some mysterious job at Manulife Financial for his entire career. He married Doreen Rempel on July 9, 1966, in Chilliwack BC. They moved to Toronto and, after having two sons (Mike and Justin), relocated to Denver. In 1977, they made their way to North Vancouver, where he held Friday night poker sessions and smoked trout in the backyard.
One time, Donna was famously remembered saying, "Merv, that's a lot of smoke," as the DIY smoker burned to the ground. You may have known Merv from the curling rink at the NSWC or from his time as a hockey dad. He loved camping throughout BC, particularly at Mahood Lake. He ignited the passion for fish and fishing, which helped define his son's lives.
Upon retirement, Merv and Doreen moved to Halfmoon Bay on the Sunshine Coast. There, Merv enjoyed sitting on his deck watching the eagles soar, maybe listening to John Denver, while the deer were dodging his motion sensor sprinkler system and munching on his garden.
He would often head out in his boat, prawning and salmon fishing; unfortunately, a seal ate half of the largest salmon of his life while it was still on his line. He developed an emotionally mixed relationship with the local wildlife. Over the years, Merv and Doreen accumulated many memories travelling around the world with friends. Camping trips to Mexico with Doreen and their beloved dog Finn occurred annually until their encounter with the banditos. They also carried out in-depth genealogy searches in Ukraine and Ireland.
Merv is survived by his loving sons and daughters-in-law Mike and Elaine, Justin and Hanne, and his grandchildren, whom he loved more than anything, Mattias, Keelin, and Connor. He will be remembered as a kind, generous, and caring person who was always ready for a game of cards. Like Doreen, Merv's ashes will be shot out of a potato gun. They will also float down the Mahood River, probably with "Looking for Space" playing in the background.
