Henry Numan genuinely loved people and had the gift of making everyone feel they mattered. He cared deeply, was generous, kind-hearted, devoted to his family, and deeply rooted in faith. Henry died April 6. He was 81.
Born in the Netherlands, Henry immigrated with his family in 1952 to Ontario, Canada.
After high school, desiring to follow in his father’s footsteps as a pastor, he graduated from Calvin College (now University) and Calvin Theological Seminary and was ordained in 1967. Together with his wife Aileen, they aspired to their motto “to be Christlike with a servant heart” and served the following churches: Cephas CRC, Peterborough, Ont.; Bethel CRC, Brockville, Ont.; First CRC, Vancouver, B.C. (two different times); Trinity CRC, Abbotsford, B.C.; Third CRC, Lynden, Wash.; and Mundy Park Christian Fellowship, Coquitlam, B.C. He retired from ministry in 2012, one year after Aileen, his wife of 47 years, died.
Henry will be remembered for his green thumb and his beautiful patio gardens, his love of books and trains, and his deep appreciation for music. He was a pipe-organ enthusiast. His daughters and some of the grandchildren will never forget how he cranked up the organ music in his car so loud that the car actually vibrated. “You have to feel it, not just hear it,” he would say.
Henry is survived by three daughters and their families, including four grandchildren, a stepgranddaughter and and two step-great-grandchildren.
About the Author
A former nurse and chaplain, Janet Greidanus is a freelance news correspondent and long-time writer of the In Memoriam column for The Banner.
