HENRY D. HILDEBRAND

Condolences & Memories (23 entries)

• Eleanor Chornoboy (Larry), Sorry to hear of the passing of your father Eleanor. I rarely check Altona obits even though I grew up by Horndean. My prayers and thoughts are with you and Larry. - Posted by: Pat Unger (Friend) on: Apr 07, 2015

• He sounds like such a beautiful soul. My condolences to Brenda and the family. - Posted by: Martin Cloutier (Brenda's Friend) on: Mar 04, 2015

• I'm just so sorry to hear of the loss of Henry! He was such a great Man who will be missed by one and all! I will miss seeing him as well as the dropping off of Vegetables on my door step! My heart goes out to you Anna and your family. - Posted by: Kimberly Lusty (Friends) on: Mar 02, 2015

• Reading over the tributes, I found myself both moved and laughing at many of the stories, including the eraser up the nose tale. My sympathy goes out to Brenda and the Hildebrand family, while I only wish I'd had the pleasure to meet this wonderful man. - Posted by: Ron Flowers (Friend to Brenda) on: Feb 20, 2015

• Uncle Henry....a man who was passionate about making others happy with his laughter! A great husband and father who will be dearly missed! - Posted by: Lynn (Niece) on: Feb 19, 2015

• Our thoughts are with you Elaine & Andy and all your family. My memory of your Dad is my nickname for him which was "Curly". I just loved working with your Dad at the Mariapolis Hotel, he was truly a kind person. - Posted by: Gerry & Yvonne De Smet () on: Feb 18, 2015

• I’d like to give you some Snap Shots of My Dad, which are not in any chronological order. On a lazy hot summer day, Dad and I were driving down our half mile driveway in our “pick up”. I was wearing shorts and sitting on the seat next to him. Suddenly he slapped my leg with his open hand! I jumped, looked at my leg and saw his hand print rising up from the skin on my thigh. I looked up at him with an expression of pain and disbelief … he smiled with a twinkle in his blue eyes and said, “ahh that’s only a love tap”! I’m the only sibling who has blue eyes like Dad’s and upon returning from a Conservative Convention in Ottawa one year, he brought me a beautiful blue parka with black trim. He rarely bought clothes for us, because Mom was the “boss” of that department. When he gave it to me he said, “this is for you, to match your blue eyes”. Well I wore that parka until it was practically in shreds! When you live in the country, getting your driver’s license is a big deal! I spent days practicing to drive and parallel park with a car which had an automatic transmission. The day of my exam Dad insisted I take the truck, which of course had a standard transmission………. needless to say I failed. The only one celebrating that day was Dad whose wish was that I take Driver’s Education and learn to drive properly. Who can forget the eraser in his nose…. On separate occasions Dad severely banged his nose on the snowmobile windshield and then later again on a rifle scope. In the house immediately after those incidents we noticed an incredible stench. Mom said, “fon vo est dout schtink” or “where is that smell coming from”? Dad replied, “I bet that’s from the eraser I stuck up my nose when I was in grade school”! We all looked at him in horror and amazement…. what?? Well as the story goes, he had stuck a pencil up his nose and the removable eraser got lodged in his nasal cavity. He told his parents but they didn’t believe him. Well a long story short, Dad went to a nose specialist and after much poking, prodding and blood loss the Doctor retrieved the infamous eraser! From that day on, it was proudly displayed on the window sill in our dining room! While living in Winnipeg, Dad called me up and asked if I wanted to join him at a banquet at the International Inn. I agreed and he said I should wear something nice. So I met him there and I wore a nice dress with a small hat with netting that came over my face….very retro and of course (I thought) very chic! We took an elevator to another area of the hotel and this woman leans over and softly but audibly asks, “who’s that woman in the goofy hat”? Dad replied stoically, “that’s my daughter”. The next thing I knew we were paraded into the banquet hall with bright lights and T.V. cameras around us and were seated at the head table in this enormous banquet hall. That was the day I realized that my Dad was the President of the Manitoba Tourism Association!! Dad’s first attempt to grow a beard was precipitated by him entering the Winnipeg to St. Paul, Minnesota snowmobile race. While the beard was certainly interesting, and a source of much razzing from Dale and myself, I believe we had started calling him "Patches", due to its patches of red, blonde, brown and grey. The lack of hair in his beard was also concerning, so that's why Mom hand made an elaborate face mask to further protect his face from the weather for the long trek. We were all very proud of his brave and heroic feat, when he came back exhausted, frost bitten and happy of his accomplishment. But the very next day Dale helped Dad shave the beard off! When Dad announced to the family that he and Mom were retiring from politics and farming and going to Tanzania, he said, “we’re going because I want to get to know my family better”! I later asked Eleanor, how the heck is he going to get to know his family better if they move all the way to Africa??! Eleanor replied, “You have to remember that Mom is his family too”. After two years in Africa, they specifically returned to Winnipeg Airport on February 1st, to meet for the first time, their 1 year old granddaughter Arielle on her birthday. Dad loved driving my son Jovain around the yard in Halbstadt on his three wheel sprayer, that Jovain called, “Grandpa’s rocket ship”! When our house burnt down in Edinburgh our family moved to my Dad’s cousin Dave’s house on the other yard of the homestead. Dad said it would only be for 1 year, well that 1 year turned into 10 years. Ten years we watched Dad carry that full cash and carry toilet down the steep steps from the second floor. It was a nail biting experience!! Ten years of pumping water, tin tub baths, and mouse poop on my clothes. Dad said, “it built character”. Dad was a firm believer in Education and was not proud of the fact that he hadn’t graduated, so later in life and after all 5 of us were born, he took it upon himself to complete his Grade 12. I’d say that took a lot of fortitude and guts! Dad liked to make odd loud noises that could break the sound barrier. One example was at Dale and Jil’s wedding on a boat in the Toronto Harbour. Dad had his first try of Italian Grappa (Italian Homebrew) and screamed out “Ba Cack” into the crowd. His screech set everyone’s hair on end but was then followed by boisterous cheer from the new side of our Italian family. There are many more stories of Dad’s; hard work, generosity, care, love, devotion, commitment to family, friends and community, and of course silliness that I could share with you today. But as Dad would say, “dots ya nuch, zat die dohl”! “That’s enough now, sit down”! - Posted by: Brenda Hildebrand (Daughter #4) on: Feb 18, 2015

• My father had blue eyes. My father had strong hands. My father had a great heart. My father was giving. And my father was kind. My father liked the color brown. My father was a farmer. My father planted seeds in this earth. This earth! My father was of the people and always for the people. My father was a father to many, a grandfather to many more, and a father figure to more then I can imagine. Who I am today is because of my father. He was my mentor, he was my hero, he was my inspiration, he was my funny bone, and he was my window to kindness, generosity and compassion. He did not condone false airs or false pretenses. Yet he did insist on being respectful of others, no matter what race or religion, but never bow or pander to those who promote injustices. He served this community as a reeve and gathered this community as a friend. From snowmobile safaris, to canoe safaris, to the celebrations of joy, he and my mother shared with so many… to simply, unexpectedly, stopping in to say hi. He liked to make people happy, he liked to see people laugh, and he liked to comfort those around him. Even my wife’s brother called me before I came here. He’s not one to have a big social life or tons of friends, but he said, with all the sincerity he could muster up, “I loved your father… he made me feel… comfortable.” I remember as a kid, I always loved to go for ride-alongs with him in the truck. Anywhere. Everywhere. Except auctions sales. They were always too cold or too long and there was always some guy yelling in the microphone “one dollar-one dollar-one dollar”. And if I wanted to go somewhere and my Dad didn’t want me to come with, because he had a meeting or something, all he would say is “one dollar-one dollar-one dollar” and I knew it wasn’t for me. But I have to say, I’d give anything for one more auction sale. My father always took it upon himself to help someone in need. Whether it was a neighbor, another farmer, a widow, or some lonely guy in some far off place. And he never talked about these deeds to anyone. He just did them. It was in his blood. It’s what gave his life… life. I remember we picked up a hitchhiker on the 75 highway, outside of Emerson one time. It was like 40 below, thin jacket, running shoes, on the cusp of freezing to death. My Dad and my Mother took him in. The guy stayed with us… and he stayed with us… and he kept staying with us…. I think until my Dad finally pawned him off to John Wahl or something. But that’s what he did, to the best of his ability. My father continues to influence me every day. To him, I believe my work as a filmmaker and making movies seemed odd at first. But I think he came to realize that the work ethic he applied to farming was the exact same work ethic I learned to apply to every ounce of what I do. Because, just like farming, I think we both came to realize that in work and in life – all we can do is plant a seed and pray to God that it comes to fruition. My father planted many seeds, by helping many people. In fact, of all the ride-alongs we would take (outside of driving down country roads at 2 miles an hour, eating knackzote, spitting them into the windshield while staring at the passing crops) there were certain ride-alongs that will resonate with me forever. I called them… “happy bombs”. From buying a case of revels and dropping them off at the neighbors, picking up a puppy and giving it to someone who needed a companion, or offloading a truckload of mini-bikes, simply because they were a good deal. But the best “happy bombs” of them all were when we’d drop in on complete strangers. Maybe my Dad knew some of them, but a lot I knew he didn’t. Sometimes it was just to say hi to a lonely widower, other times to bring food or things of need. I remember one old man in the States, he lived along the river, between Niche and Pembina. It was thanksgiving, he was all alone, we brought him a turkey. And the joy and appreciation in that man’s eyes were enough to fill anyone’s soul. I asked my Dad why he did it. He simply told me… because it’s right. So I ask each and everyone of you… go out and drop a “happy bomb” on someone in need. Today, tomorrow, next year… it doesn’t matter. Just do it…. Because when you plant a seed… you never know what will come to fruition. - Posted by: Dale Hildebrand (Son) on: Feb 17, 2015

• My condolences to all of you. I remember Henry as a very friendly, sociable person! My Mom, Olga Hildebrand, and Henry shared the same birthday (July 19), and most years he would call her to wish her a Happy Birthday. I think it was in 2013 when Mom had not received a call. Because speaking was very difficult for her, she asked me to call him. So, sitting beside her bed, I happily conveyed her messages. I know you will have many happy memories. - Posted by: Carol (Hildebrand) Helgason () on: Feb 16, 2015

• Dear Brenda, Arielle, and Jovain. Our sympathy to you, and your family. We send our thoughts and love to you. May God Bless you with comfort of friends and family at this time. Love, Loretta, Murray, Jannah and Gavin - Posted by: Loretta Flood and Family (Friend) on: Feb 16, 2015

• Our condolences to you Brenda and your family. What a lovely tribute. It's unfortunate that we never had the good fortune to know your Dad. It is evident he was a kind, caring and generous man that lived, embraced life to the fullest. May all the wonderful memories carry you through this difficult time. - Posted by: Kathy & Al Kaus (Friend (of Brenda)) on: Feb 16, 2015

• My sympathy to your family for the loss of a much loved Father and Grandfather. - Posted by: Edna Desrochers (Friend of Elaine) on: Feb 15, 2015

• Always such a pleasure meeting Henry. A man who loved people to the fullest with a ready smile & a good hand shake. Our most sincere sympathy to Anna & family. Our thoughts & prayers are with you all. - Posted by: Tony & Bernice Ricard (Friends) on: Feb 15, 2015

• Heard the news half hour ago. Will remember your dad's visits to Mariapolis over the years: also the constant twinkle in his eye when he was telling his stories! Our thoughts are with grandma, Elaine, Andy and family. Sorry we could not attend. Lionel/Carol and family..... - Posted by: carol& Lionel Lussier (Friends of family) on: Feb 15, 2015

• So sorry to hear about your loss and we would have been their to say our goodbyes but we did not know till today, Sunday. So Elaine and the whole family and mom (Anna) that smile will never be forgotten and the not knowing if he was pulling our leg or not will be very much remembered. Rene/Elsie - Posted by: Rene& Elsie Hacault (Friends of family) on: Feb 15, 2015

• Anna and family Henry had a big smile and a bigger heart. Hold onto Your family for comfort. Sherry - Posted by: Sherry Bears (Friend) on: Feb 15, 2015

• He was always happy to chat; would often drop by when we were working in the yard. We will miss how he'd drop off a bag of his home-grown vegetables; usually giving us the odd-shaped, unusual-looking ones to get a laugh out of us. I have no doubt that you and Norbert are up there pulling new pranks! You will be missed on Redwood Bay. Our hearts and prayers go to Anne and the whole family. God keep you. - Posted by: Warren & Suzanne Klippenstein (Neighbors) on: Feb 15, 2015

• Great guy. Friends with all. - Posted by: Ray Moreton (Friend) on: Feb 15, 2015

• Henry had the gift of making us feel so special when ever we met, someone we always looked forward to seeing. We will miss him. Our condolences to Anne and the family. - Posted by: Harvey and Elsie Chippendale (Distant relative and friend) on: Feb 14, 2015

• Our deepest sympathy Anna and family. The first time we met Henry was when we lived in Miami, Mb and we went on a number of snowmobile safaris with him in the Pembina valley in the sixties and visited with you in Yuma Az.in later years. - Posted by: Koos and Kathy Mensies (Friend) on: Feb 14, 2015

• My thoughts are with the family. Henry will be missed. - Posted by: Raymond woods (Friend) on: Feb 14, 2015

• Hildebrand Family, Sorry to hear of you loss. We're unable to be with you in person but you are in our thoughts. Sincerely Tony & Linda Toews - Posted by: Tony & Linda Toews (Friends) on: Feb 14, 2015

• We will miss HD"s smile and companionship at the Oakview golf course on Wednesday morning senior play. He was a delight and inspiration to be with. Rest in Peace sir. - Posted by: Paul Roy (friend) on: Feb 14, 2015