Horst Dietmar Hennig

Horst Dietmar Hennig was born on December 24, 1933, to Kurt and Ernestine Hennig in Karlsbad, Czechoslovakia. After WWII ended, the family was expelled from their homeland by the Czech government in 1946, relocating as war refugees to Wallau, West Germany. Horst met his future wife Brigitte in 1949, whose family were also war refugees from Yugoslavia. They dated for almost two years before Brigitte and her family emigrated to the United States in 1951.

After high school, he joined the newly formed West German Border Patrol in 1951, guarding the East-West German border. Choosing to follow his sweetheart to the United States instead of remaining in the Border Patrol, Horst emigrated in 1956 to Chicago, Illinois, where he married Brigitte shortly thereafter.

Initially, he apprenticed in Chicago for four years as a cabinet maker, and in 1960 he became an architectural woodworker. His passion for quality wood crafts remained throughout his lifetime. Always an engaging entrepreneur, he then spent many years selling high-end cookware.

As an avid hunter, he would take trips to Colorado and fall in love with the mountains, which reminded him of his homeland. Horst and Brigitte made the decision to move the family to Longmont in 1972. With the move he returned to his former career of woodworking, first working for a company making commercial store fixtures.

He then founded his own woodworking company producing top-quality custom-made cabinetry and furniture. Horst later sold the company and finished his working career selling industrial woodworking machines with Schlosser Tools before retiring in 1998.

During his retirement years, Horst grew in his Christian faith and his love for God. He enjoyed reading his Bible and participating in a weekly Bible study group. Also feeding his love of people, he was a longtime member of Schlaraffia, (an international German men’s fraternity), and weekly coffee gatherings where he could converse with others in German. Horst continually enjoyed making new friends.

He introduced mushroom hunting and deer hunting to his children and grandchildren and cherished any time he was able to be in the mountains. Horst and Brigitte enjoyed camping, fishing, and driving the scenic mountain roads.

Most of all he loved Brigitte devotedly, and they acted like teenage lovebirds their whole lives. He loved his family deeply, and enjoyed his role as patriarch, welcoming each new member into the family. He remembered each birthday and celebrated family events and was the steadfast rock the family was drawn to. He prayed for his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and brought their needs before God.

Horst is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife Brigitte Hennig, sons Rolf Hennig (Mattie), Berndt Hennig (Cheryl), and Erik Hennig, and daughter Monika Dunne (Tom); thirteen grandchildren and twenty-one great-grandchildren

There will be a memorial service on Friday, December 1st, at 10:30 am at Faith Community Lutheran Church, 9775 Ute Hwy, Longmont, CO 80504, with a light reception afterward.