Henry Stofast

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Heinrich (Henry) Stofast
August 21, 1932 – April 27, 2022


Heinrich (Henry) Stofast passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 after a brief four week stay in the hospital with breathing issues due to restrictive lung disease. While our hearts are saddened, we rejoice in the living hope that he is now free of his suffering and resting in his eternal home, forever with JESUS, whom he loved and served so faithfully.

Henry was born on August 21, 1932 in Hohenfeld, district Ostheim, Ukraine, where his parents Adolf and Berta (nee Johann) also had been born, raised and got married. The family lived in one of the small German colonies and settlements under the Russian regime. “Heinrich”, his official name, was the older brother of Adolf. Two brothers died as infants (Albert in ‘31 and Viktor in ’39).

With the adversity of WWII, Henry’s life knew much hardship. Like so many others, Henry, with his mother and brother were forced to leave the homeland of their ancestors. In 1941 at the age of 9, his father was taken away at night by the Russian authorities, never to be seen again and life became difficult. From 1941 to 1945 the family became transients, leaving with only few personal belongings. The first journey was made by horse and buggy, then travels by orphan trains, often in unfavourable conditions. They trekked on many times and many kilometres, staying for a few weeks or several months in refugee camps and basic accommodations in Poland. In January 1945 they reached Austria, and resettled in a little town Ettenkoffen, Bavaria where they lived (referred to as transient Germans) and worked on a farm until March 1951.

It was in Lower Bavaria, that Henry came in contact with a devout Christian family,in whose home services of the Church of God were held. He had little religious education throughout his childhood and war years. It was in this home where Henry met other Christians, heard the message of salvation, recognized his need for a personal Saviour and opened his heart to the Lord.

In August 1951, Henry was invited to attend the Church of God Convention in Essen, Germany. It was there he followed Jesus’s command and was baptized together with many fellow believers.
Henry recognized that job opportunities would be better in a large, industrialized city and chose to relocate from a construction job in Göppingento Essen to better his life. His mother and brother followed him to Essen later as well.

In May 1953, as a young man of 21, Henry took advantage of the opportunity to emigrate to Canada, leaving his mother and brother behind in Germany. He originally intended to go to Winnipeg but ended up in the Ottawa area where he worked as a farmhand. After 10 months of isolation, he was homesick for church fellowship and took the train to Winnipeg in midst of winter. There he was able to reconnect with friends from his home country, church family, and meet new fellow believers.

He had seen his wife Erna (nee Traeger) in Essen at church services previously, but it was in Winnipeg where they courted and were married on June 4th, 1955. Following his in-law’s move to Ontario, Henry once again uprooted himself with his wife and daughter Christa to Hamilton, Ontario in July 1957. Due to work shortage, Henry decided to move to Toronto in 1958, where his two sons, Karl and Rudi were born. Here he resided for the rest of his life.

Henry was a simple man, who had little opportunity for schooling and no father to teach him the skills of life. Yet he did what needed to be done, a do-it-yourself handyman who was always willing to help others. He worked at CCM for 22 years, on construction for a number of years and at DeHavilland Inc. for the last 11 years until his retirement in December 1997.

Henry was a devoted husband to his wife Erna. He was a hard worker but also enjoyed tending to his home, garden, flowers, and fruit trees. He was proud when he was able to harvest enough to share with others. From early on, he was a man ahead of his time in his generation. He was ambitious and unashamed to do what used to be “woman’s work” and helped his wife over many years with canning, preserving, and baking Christmas cookies annually. Every year since Henry and Erna were married, they made sauerkraut together in the fall, without exception. Henry graciously took over more household tasks the last two decades after he was retired, when his wife’s vision and general health declined. He continued to enjoy baking and made cakes, cookies, and donuts as long as he could, right up to a few weeks before his passing.

Henry was a follower of Christ and took his faith seriously. He was an example of a child of God, simple and unassuming, but radiating Christ’s spirit in all he said and did. He loved to serve others with a radiant smile. He gave God glory for holding his hand over him and protecting him from death a number of times in his life. Henry was thankful to God for guiding his life and leading him to this country to serve and worship freely with God’s children.

He was diligent in church attendance, loved the annual conventions and special services and attended them as long as he was able to. He was a prayer warrior, praying unconditionally for his family every day. He served in the church as an usher for many years, trustee board, choir member, and taught adult Sunday school. Henry was meticulous in his work ethic, volunteered as a church outdoor custodian for many years, and took care to ensure the churchyard was always manicured for Sunday services.

Henry leaves behind his beloved wife, with whom he shared life’s joys and sorrows for almost 67 years; children Christa, Karl (Barb), and Rudi (Catherine), grandchildren Sonja (David), Jasmine (Chris), Ava, and Nicole, and great-grandchildren Denzel, Delia, Demya, and Charlotte. He also leaves behind his wife’s family, sister-in-laws Waltraud (Harry), Gerda, Irmgard, as well as an extended family of nieces, nephews, and cousins in Canada, USA, Germany and Russia. Henry was predeceased by his brother Adolf in 1982, and his mother in 2002.

With his passing, Henry leaves behind a shining testimony, a life well lived and a legacy for all to cherish. He will be missed by his family, church family and many friends.

Visitation will take place Wednesday May 4 from 4-8 at Ward Funeral Home, Weston Chapel (2035 Weston Road). Funeral Service will take place on Thursday May 5 at 10:30am in the Chapel at Ward’s Funeral Home, Weston.

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