Dean L. Henry

Dean L. Henry, 91, of Goshen, died Wednesday afternoon, November 29, 2006, at his daughter’s home in Syracuse where he had been the past six weeks.   He was born February 21, 1915, in Goshen, Indiana, to Harvey E. and Fannie May (Miller) Henry.  He married Helen M. Japel on December 27, 1939.  She died June 6, 1983.  He then married Helen L. Frederick Kauffman on August 24, 1991.  She survives.   A lifelong resident of Goshen, Mr. Henry, retired from Ivy Terrace in Goshen in July 1977.  He had also worked at the former I-XL Furniture Company in Goshen for 27 years as Customer Service Manager.   He was the oldest active member of West Goshen Church of the Brethren having joined the church in 1927.  He served as the church historian and pianist for many years.   A 1934 Goshen High School graduate, he was a longtime active member and benefactor of Goshen Historical Society.  He was named “Goshen Historian of the Year in 1987.  He spent many years purchasing and otherwise acquiring historical artifacts related to the city Goshen for donation to the Goshen Historical Society’s Museum.  Through the years he acquired an extensive collection of Goshen City postcards from the turn of the century to present day, all in an effort to preserve the history of Goshen.   Mr. Henry was also a longtime active member and benefactor of Elkhart County Historical Society and a member of the Indiana State Historical Society.  He was also a member of West Goshen Cemetery Board of Regents, Goshen’s first School Safety Patrol, organized in 1927 by the Chicago Motor Club, the Maple City Postcard Club, and as an advanced deltiologist, he amassed a personal collection of over 100,000 postcards of various areas of interest.   He had many interests that ranged from theater to photography to fishing and sports.   He is survived by his wife, Helen; a daughter, Arlene (Stephen H) Berkey of Syracuse; three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.   Friends will be received 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m., Saturday, December 2, 2006 at Yoder-Culp Funeral Home.   A 2:00 p.m. funeral service will be conducted on Sunday, December 3, 2006 at the West Goshen Church of the Brethren.  Rev. Opal Neese and Rev. Ray Barkey of the West Goshen Church of the Brethren will officiate.   A private burial will be in the West Goshen Cemetery.   Memorial contributions may be made to the West Goshen Church of the Brethren or to the Goshen Historical Society.