Henry Menges

Our beloved uncle passed away peacefully at Lions Gate Hospital on October 25^th, 2012.  Uncle Hank, as he was affectionately known, was born in Prelate, Saskatchewan, in 1919.   He was the 4^th born to Joe and Sally Menges.  His parents were farmers and later owned a store in Elardee, Saskatchewan.  During the dust bowl years, farmers couldn’t pay their bills so the family moved to Vancouver.  Uncle Hank’s first job at age 12 was cleaning out the livestock rail cars at what later became the Expo ‘86 site.  Always willing to work, he moved on to BC Coal shovelling coal off the box cars, then on to driving cab.  In 1937 he went to Port Renfrew to join his brother Louis and began what became a lifelong career in the logging industry.  BC Forest Products (later Fletcher Challenge) employed him as a logger for $.37/hour.  On a trip back to Vancouver, he met a lovely lady on Hornby Street where his family lived.  He and Anne married in 1942 and moved to Port Renfrew where he built a make-shift house on skids – no plumbing or electricity, just kerosene lamps.  Living conditions slowly improved, and they lived there for 18 years.  The next 10 years were spent in Victoria where Hank got his log scaler’s license.  He later became BC’s first log inspector, and he and Anne moved to the brand new Park Royal Towers in West Vancouver.  Although his office was in downtown Vancouver, most weeks he would be out of town Monday to Friday, flying all over BC inspecting log booms.  Hank was a lovable character and enjoyed giving people nick names.  His wife Anne was Rooney Bear.  We’re not too sure what the origin of that was.  He loved to have a good time playing shuffleboard with the family, dancing, or going to Vegas to visit relatives and do a bit of gambling.  He retired in 1983, a year before his beloved Anne passed away.  In later years Hank enjoyed his daily walks at Ambleside and visiting the stores at Park Royal Shopping Centre and every Saturday morning you could find him at his brother Louis’ discussing politics and how to solve the world’s problems. 

Somewhere along the way be began picking up useable but discarded patio umbrellas, lamps, TV’s etc. and fixing them for his niece to sell at flee markets  Although many of the items where lovely, it became a little overwhelming for him.  He also became known in the complex as the “fix it man” and would fix small appliances or furniture for others.  When poor health necessitated a move last year, Uncle Hank chose several of his collected items to go with him to Churchill House Retirement Community in North Vancouver.  His own beautiful furniture was complemented by the attractive lamps he had found which gave his suite a wonderful, warm ambience.  He loved his new home at Churchill House and quickly became well loved in return.

He was a great man and had a good life.  We all feel very honoured to have known and loved him.

You are invited to leave a personal message of condolence for the family.