HENRY GERRITZEN

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HENRY GERRITZEN

While it is with sadness that we announce the passing of Henry Gerritzen on October 9, 2025 at 94 years of age, we celebrate his long and joyful life. Our father would often comment on how fortunate and happy a life he had led. “We had a wonderful life…” is how it always began when he spoke of his and his wife Ursula’s life story. During his 70+ years in Brandon, you most likely had the opportunity to hear Henry’s life story. He loved to talk to everyone, even strangers, about it.

Born on July 14, 1931, in Huthum, Germany as Karl-Heinz Theodor Gerritsen. He was the second youngest of six children of Heinrich Gerritsen and Adelheid Shreur. He is predeceased by wife Ursula Gerritzen (1931 - 2020). He will be deeply missed by sons Klaus Brechmann (Susan) and Michael (Sharon), and daughters Rita (Vern) and Helen (Wes), grandchildren Adam Brechmann, Sara Brechmann and Christopher Gerritzen, great-grandchildren Ashton and Brooke Campbell, special friend Donna Hughes, and sister Ruth Eusterholz and extended family in Germany.

During WW2, the allied forces bombed his city of Emmerich. Henry and his younger sister hid in a trench he had dug in the yard behind their house. Henry said the planes were flying so low, he could see the chute open and the bombs coming out “like cigars.” Ruth, too frightened, ran to the house. A bomb detonated in their yard and Henry was buried within the collapsed dirt. Henry survived with no injuries, but when they pulled him out, he lost his only pair of wooden shoes. With everything lost, the family travelled east to stay with relatives.

After the war, Henry trained as an agricultural apprentice, working in the fields and caring for the horses. He then went on to agricultural college, becoming a milk performance inspector, a job which took him to many farms.

Henry liked to travel the Alps by bicycle, but soon graduated to owning a 125 CC DKW motorbike which he purchased in 1952. He rode it all over Germany.

But opportunities in Germany were difficult for young ambitious men, so he put his name forward to emigrate to Australia, Brazil, and Canada. In 1952, Canada’s offer arrived, and he sold his motorbike to buy passage on a cargo ship that landed in Quebec City on May 10, 1953. A train took him to Northern Ontario for his first Canadian job as a lumberjack near Dryden. Work was hard, yet he had opportunity to contemplate changing jobs after spending time in a tree to escape a mama bear and her two cubs. Most importantly, he made enough money to travel west to fulfill his dream of working on a farm.

He arrived on the prairies, working for several farms along the way to continue his travel. He ultimately chose to settle in Brandon, Manitoba. He would first work for Burton Road Construction and then Manco Dairies for many years. He also worked as a cabinet maker.

In 1955, Henry began a romance by mail through a church sponsored dating service with Ursula Brechmann who lived in Essen, Germany. Exchanging prose and photographs, they wrote love letters to each other (she, a total of 71!) Henry says every one of her letters, done in her beautiful handwriting, began with “my dearest Henry,” and ended with “I’ll love you forever.” Less than a year later, Ursula, together with her son Klaus, bravely emigrated to Canada in 1956 to marry Henry. Together they made a wonderful life over the next 64 years. Henry was a dedicated, loving husband who cared for Ursula in her later years until her passing in 2020.

Henry and Ursula bought their little home on Dennis Street in Brandon for $4000 in 1957 and slowly renovated it to accommodate the growing family. Ursula’s father, Franz would come from Germany in 1964 and stay for over a year to assist in a major expansion of the house.

He and Ursula proudly became Canadian citizens in 1965.

Henry loved to buy and renovate houses and, at his peak, owned nine houses, many of which got his special white stucco treatment. He was a compassionate landlord, ultimately selling some of his houses to his tenants on a rent-to-own offer.

He also loved to design and built his own sailboat and camper. On many summer weekends, the family went on camping trips all across Manitoba; a favourite was fishing at Lake Audy in Riding Mountain National Park. Henry especially loved the breaded pickerel, caught fresh from the lake and cooked in the cast iron pan over the open campfire. Travelling to these destinations usually involved the family in a chorus of German folk songs sung in the car. Later in life, fishing with his nephew Ralf in Manitoba, he caught a huge fish that qualified him for a Master Angler award.

In 1984, Henry and Ursula moved to “the farm”, an acreage at the outskirts of Brandon, enjoying their retirement years developing the land, growing and harvesting their massive garden, and maintaining huge beautiful perennial flower beds. From their large orchard they made preserves and the most delicious apple sauces and jellies. He built many of the property’s out-buildings including a triple-garage to accommodate his motorhome, and a greenhouse constructed from salvaged windows. He was always sharing his healthy seedlings with all. His pet project was getting the classic old tractor running to cut the grass on his 3 acres. Henry called it “paradise” and named it “Villa Bechschafer” after a mansion in Germany he visited often as a boy.

The farm was a gathering place for friends and family. Numerous relatives from Germany would make their way to Brandon for visits over the years and enjoy the bucolic life Ursula and Henry built in Canada. Grandchildren and then great-grandchildren loved to visit Opa and Oma at the farm.

Henry traveled to Germany 14 times to visit family and friends over the years. Together with Ursula, he travelled to Cuba ten times, where they made life-long friends. Each trip, they would bring an extra suitcase of clothes to give away, even a bicycle. On his many cruises in the Caribbean, highlights were swimming with dolphins and stingrays.

He travelled through the United States on bus tours, and all the way to Newfoundland. He twice travelled by train up to Churchill, Manitoba to see the polar bears. Alberta was a frequent destination to visit his two girls.

Always active, Henry proudly swam at the YMCA making use of their free memberships for those over 85. He would walk the farm’s property even on the coldest days of winter. After moving into town, he got a treadmill to keep active.

He was an enthusiastic dancer, and loved polkas and singing German folk songs. He had an active social life, whether meeting with friends for coffee and treats in the farm’s “Bunny Barn”, and later for Saturday coffee at the A&W, and many lunches and dinners with Donna. Henry loved talking with people and learning their life stories. Particularly immigrants: being one himself, he was encouraging to others and showed such empathy for those from war torn countries. He would say “this is the best country in the world.”

Henry was unfailingly optimistic, hard working and content. One can conclude, he had a true zest for life. We feel so privileged to have shared his life for so many years and we will all dearly miss him.

A memorial is planned for the spring.

As published in Brandon Sun on Oct 18, 2025