Heinrich “Henry” Dick Inspector (ret) RCMP (Nov 1955-June 1991)

It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Henry on Thursday, April 13, 2023. Joyful and healthy throughout his 89 years, he had a brief hospital stay, succumbing after complications following a surgery.

Loving husband to Mary “Lenore” (Campbell), his wife of 62 years, he is also survived by his daughters Leslie Hurry (Jeff), and Lisa Rutherford (Grant), and predeceased by his son Shawn (Bonnie). Cherished “Poppy” to his grandchildren Robyn and Lauren, Ryan and Michael, and Katie and Nathan, and his great-granddaughters Brityn and Emrie, and soon to arrive Spencer. Pre-deceased by his parents, Helena and Abram, and 16 of his 19 siblings. His spirit will live on in his sisters Rose, Marge and Liz and all of the surviving spouses, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Family was everything to him and he was the big brother directly to his siblings and indirectly to many others throughout his lifetime.

Henry was born in Altona, Manitoba, a very close-knit community. He enjoyed a happy childhood but assumed adult responsibilities after his father passed away. This shaped his immediate future, and his strong work ethic, sense of duty and responsibility, and nurturing spirit became the hallmarks of his character. At the age of 22, he joined the ranks of the RCMP and in the early years was stationed in Saskatchewan, patrolling in and around Yorkton, Melville, Pelly, Esterhazy and Foam Lake. At this time, he caught the fancy of Lenore and she followed him when he moved to Ottawa where they were married in 1960. He also won over the hearts of her landlords, Gaston and Muriel Huard, and their wonderful family that created a lifelong bond for these westerners who were far from home.

Henry enjoyed a rewarding career for 35 years characterized by increased responsibilities and recognition including his commission to Officer as an Inspector in 1977. His curiosity, collaborative nature, and statesman qualities resulted in some very challenging and interesting work at Headquarters. He continued his formal and informal education and was recognized by being integral in many transformational and impactful initiatives over the years, including the development of Canada’s centralized online fingerprint system that was admired by law enforcement around the world. This gave him the opportunity to meet a wide array people inside and outside of law enforcement and he valued those relationships and experiences. By the end of his career, he was responsible for the Canadian Police Services Information Centre (CPSIC), Fraud Cheque, Firearms and Missing Children and involved in work on legislation with then Prime minister Kim Campbell. He was well respected and liked by everyone and upon retirement, a conference room at Headquarters was named in his honour.

As much as his career was important to him, his immediate and extended family and friends were his greatest source of joy. His love and commitment were first and foremost, and he treasured his time with Lenore and with his children, grandchildren and siblings.

As a husband he was supportive and kind, dedicated and steadfast, and very proud. There were many adventures off the beaten path, scouring for hidden antiques and finding the largest scoops of ice cream in small towns across Ontario. He loved to visit with family and friends and enjoyed activities that added to their social circle, including curling and summers at the RCMP camp. He was open and honest, funny and warm, and an amazing dance partner. He enjoyed togetherness but gave space to pursue individual pursuits. He was never jealous or unkind, and always a cheerleader. 

As a father, Henry was modest, quiet, and calm, offering sage advice and guidance and unconditional love. He pursued sports that the family could enjoy and many weekends included skiing in the winter and swimming in the summer. Despite a long workday, he took the time to toss a baseball, fix a bike, clear a path through the weeds for swimming, read a book, and always give a hug.

The family are very grateful for the care and compassion shown by the residents and staff at Hazeldean Gardens Retirement Residence who were friends and caregivers to him over the past 5 years.

A Graveside Service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, April 21 in the National Militiary Cemetery (Beechwood Cemetery) RCMP section . A Celebration of Life will follow immediately afterward until 2:00 pm at the Hall of Colours, Beechwood National Memorial Centre.

For those wishing to express sympathy in Henry’s memory, he would want you to reach out to your loved ones and community to support them in any way that you can. Any formal donations may be directed to children’s charities or youth at risk through organizations such as Feed the Children, Kids Help Phone, Mennonite Central Committee Manitoba, UNICEF, The Boys and Girls Club in your area, or local organizations.

For those wishing to send flowers, please request that arrangements do not include lilies.