Heinrich Adrian

It was the will of our Heavenly Father to call our earthly father to his eternal home. Henry had many roles here on earth: son, brother, husband, Dad, Opa, great-grandfather, and Uncle. Henry is survived by his three sons, George (Louise), James (Marni), and David (Marina); and his daughter, Bonita (Jim). He also leaves behind eight grandchildren: Dan; Amanda (Ian); Kristen; Aaron (Kasiah); Adrianna; Noah (Emily); Adam; and Sarah (Lucas); and great-grandchildren Jameson, Coen, and Ruston. He is also survived by his brother, Rudi Adrian; his half-brother, Victor; and many nieces and nephews.

Henry enjoyed every role that God gave him and was very dedicated to them all. He was blessed to share 65 years of marriage with Eliesabeth (Klassen) Adrian, his one true love. Together they shared a life of ups and downs, hardships and fruitfulness, tears and joy. At the end of their lives, it showed us all the deep commitment they shared to God, to each other, and to their family. We will always be grateful for the example of unconditional love our parents modeled and gave us.

November 22, 1932, was a special day, as it was the day our dad, Henry Adrian, was born in Fuerstenwerder, Ukraine, to Heinrich Gerard Adrian Sr. and Helena (Goertzen) Adrian. Henry was the oldest of three siblings, with his younger sister, Elsa Adrian, and younger brother, Rudi Adrian.

Like many families who were forced to leave their homes to survive, during the war, my dad’s family was no different. After traveling through Europe to many different countries, Henry, his brother Rudi, and their grandmother landed in Canada, escaping the war but losing their mother, father, and sister. Even with the painful realization that they were no longer the family they once were; they gratefully thanked Canada for accepting them as landed immigrants into a country whose language they did not speak, but which was willing to give Henry, his brother, and their grandmother a safe future. At the age of 16, Henry had to go to work instead of completing his education.

Henry loved life — family life, social life with friends, and his work life. There were so many negative life experiences that happened to Henry, that could have given him a hardened heart. Instead, he put his faith, and trust in God, and he lived his life for the glory of God and was rewarded for his faithfulness. Henry was a very quiet, kind, and gentle man, who was also a very hard worker, and did many different jobs that others wouldn’t consider. To Henry that meant freedom for himself, and his family. One of his greatest goals in life was to be a provider, and protector for his family that he loved so dearly.

He first worked at Weldwood of Canada for 24 years. After being laid off from the mill, he started his own custodial business, which became very successful. During this time, he also assisted his wife Eliesabeth in fostering special-needs children. At the age of 78, my dad finally hung up his work boots and retired.

After he was left with extra time, Henry found many hobbies to keep himself busy. He loved photography and always had a camera in his hands. If he wasn’t taking photos of family, he would enjoy walking in nature around Richmond BC. taking photos of the Eagles, sunsets, and sunrises.

When Henry couldn’t drive anymore, he would sit on the sun deck and take photos of planes coming in from all directions in the sky. He really enjoyed taking photos of flowers, the brighter the colour the better, many stops on walks to get to the right angle of the beautiful gardens he would see. Henry was also interested in putting together his family tree, and would work on his computer into the late hours connecting clue after clue,

In 2010, my dad became the caretaker for my mom, as she battled lymphoma in her lungs. He was dedicated to nursing her and helping her fight cancer. In 2012, our mom went into remission and survived another 10 years.

In June 2021, my dad was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Due to his age, there was great concern about surgery, but with his deep faith, he wanted to try. The surgery was successful, and doctors were able to remove a tumor from his stomach. His recovery was very slow, but in the end, he was able to function again.

In January 2022, my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer, it was discussed to bring a caretaker into their home to care for both Henry and Betty, as they did not want to be placed in a care home. This arrangement was short-lived, for our mom as on April 1, 2022, Eliesabeth passed away after her battle with cancer.

Our dad did not want to move into a care home, and with the help of a caretaker, and his medical team monitoring his cancer, and new symptoms of dementia, we were able to honor his wishes for a time. Unfortunately, in December 2024, Henry suffered a stroke that left him in a wheelchair, and unable to live in his home any longer. At that time, he moved into Chenchenstway Care home in Burnaby BC. where he lived out the remainder of his life.

Henry always showed by example who he was as a person. One day, when I came to visit my mom and dad, he was out walking in the fields, as he often did, taking photos of wildlife and the landscape. On that day, he was picking blackberries, one of his favorite fruits, when a crane suddenly dropped to the ground. Being who he was, my dad immediately went to investigate and realized the crane had hit telephone wires and fallen.

He called my mom, who brought the van down the road from their house. My dad carefully wrapped the bird in a blanket and placed it in the back of the vehicle. He first took it to the SPCA and when they could not help, he then went to the bird sanctuary. He spent the entire day trying to save that crane — and he did.

That moment showed me that it doesn’t matter whether you are an animal or a person — my dad would go to great lengths to help, especially if you were in need. It always reminds me of a passage my mom would always read to me Matthew 25:40–45. Whenever I think of my dad, I think of that verse. It speaks of helping those in need, as if you are helping God Himself. That verse speaks volumes about the kind of people my dad and Mom were. They would help anyone, feed anyone, clothe anyone, and open their home to anyone. My dad rescued that bird not for recognition or praise, but because it was in need, and could not help itself.

Henry lived his life with grace, and generosity. He was unfailingly considerate, and sensitive toward others. He carried himself with dignity and extended that same dignity to everyone he met. He loved people, and laughter, and always had so much joy when the house was full of talking adults, and laughing between the kids, as they played happily together, leaving him with a full heart. He was always so happy, and willing to offer gracious hospitality to anyone fortunate enough to enter his life. The Adrian family will always miss you. Psalm 23

Dad you were loved beyond measure.