Henry was born February 3, 1911, in Slavgorod, Asiatic Russia, the eldest of 16 children. He had rickets as a child and was unable to walk until the age of 4, the same time as his brothers, Jake and Dick (hence the bow legs). His children describe him as “a handsome man; great hair, well-groomed, and well-dressed”.

     After WW I, in 1918, at the age of 7, the family moved to Rosenwald. Being the oldest, a lot was expected of him; he remembers all the work that was never-ending. He tells of his father sternly reprimanding him because he had not done his work well enough. This hurt him deeply; he talked about it often.

     Henry was 15 when the family left the Soviet Union in 1926. Upon their arrival at their destination in Hague, Saskatchewan, and for the next 5 years, Henry worked as a hired farm hand, earning $5/month, all of which he paid to his father to help manage the scarce financial resources of the family.

     In the spring of 1931, Henry departed for British Columbia, at the age of 20. He found work in Yarrow, working on various farms as a farmhand, and supplemented his income with cutting wood on Yarrow “Mountain”.  Evenings were spent playing poker and socializing. He soon had enough money to purchase his first home.

     On October 30, 1935, he married Ekaterina (Kay) Wiebe, daughter of Jacob and Susanna (Janzen) Wiebe. His sister Sara and three brothers, Jake, Dick, and Dave made the journey from Gem, Alberta for the wedding. The three brothers stayed and moved in with Henry and Katie. Kay cooked, cleaned, and did their laundry for them. She loved the Neumann family; her home was always open to them.

     During revival meetings on December 31, 1935, Henry, Dick, and Dave each made a personal commitment to follow Jesus. Henry and Kay were soon baptized upon the confession of their faith and joined the Mennonite Brethren Church and remained members until they passed away. Henry, Kay, and their two children moved to Vancouver in the fall of 1940. They bought a home on East 48^th, with their friends, the C. Langemans. Henry started working for Sitka Spruce Co. (later renamed B.C. Forest Products) as a ‘Trimmer’. He worked there till 1958, when the plant burned down.

     In 1942, they bought their first Vancouver home, on 47^th Ave. They had a number of ‘boarders’ living with them. Henry’s siblings were always welcome, especially those who were working in Vancouver at the that time. That winter, Katie had rheumatic fever. In 1947, they bought their second house, on Windsor St. Henry continued working at the mill. He was a very punctual person. He would walk into the house at exactly 4:50 p.m. and expect supper to be ready. It always was!

     Henry and Kay were founding members of two Mennonite Brethren churches in Vancouver –  43^rd & Prince Edward, and Fraserview MB. They were involved as ‘Kitchen Stewards’, and Henry was church treasurer for many years. He was a whiz at using the abacus – his calculator. Henry was a proud man (in a positive way). He loved to sing and had a wonderful bass voice. He sang in the church choir with his brother Neil, who was living with them. Henry and Kay often sang together while driving.  Katie was an avid member of the Ladies Auxiliary, and served as the “floral arranger” for scores of weddings for several decades.

     Henry and Kay had the gift of hospitality. During their married life, they welcomed countless “guests and tenants” into their home. Henry had a number of single friends who would come over weekly to play checkers, and Katie always served coffee and dessert. Extended family members were always welcome in their home. This was especially evident when Henry’s brother Dick stayed with them during the time he was undergoing cancer treatments in Vancouver. Their home was always open to both Dick and Helen’s families.

     Henry’s early life experiences influenced his regard for financial resources – he was a thrifty person.  He purchased his first car at the age of 40 – a 1951 Pontiac. All his life, regardless of the purchase, Henry paid only in cash – no credit. Kay pursued her hobby of painting, selling paintings to help pay for expenses.

     In 1955, Henry, Kay, and their two children moved to their first new home, however, both children left home to attend school. Henry and Kay were now “empty-nesters”, however, a third child was born in 1957.

     When the mill burned down, Henry at 49, was jobless for the first time in his life, but not for long. He soon started work with the City of Vancouver, washing windows at City Hall, until his retirement in 1976. The retirement was not permanent, as he found other part-time work, unlocking and locking the City Health Clinic on West 8th Ave., for 11 years.

     Henry had been a provider all his life, first for his parents and siblings and then for his family, providing a roof, food on the table, and clothes. A selfless, hard-working man, he was never known to complain. He took great pride in the fact that he had always provided for his family, which gave him a sense of accomplishment. Kay applied her time and energy to a number of initiatives, all of which contributed to family finances—oil paintings of nature, floral arrangements, and sales related to antiques and home-products. Kay had a musical gifting; she was able to pick up and master most any instrument. Her favourites were her mandolin and accordion.

     Henry and Kay’s last Vancouver home was a brick house with a garden, which Kay loved. It was here, one evening alone, that she suffered her first stroke. On January 25, 1989, Kay suffered a second and fatal stroke. Henry did not cope well being alone; he married Anne Dyck of Chilliwack on May 26, 1990. Henry and Anne took up residence in Abbotsford, which was near to numerous siblings. On July 9, 1999, Henry passed away at the age of 88. He was buried in Mountain Cemetery in Chilliwack, where his parents are buried.

     Henry and Kay’s direct descendants number 21 (2023).