Lutherans for Life worker HENRY BARNHART BIEBER R.I.P.

Henry and Alice were longtime supporters of the pro-life cause and are remembered from the early 1970s when they joined Action Life of Ottawa in response to an advertisement in the Ottawa Citizen.

Henry was born and raised in Saskatchewan and came to eastern Ontario when he was called to service in World War II. He met Alice at Petawawa and they remained in the area to raise their three children, Judith, Susanna and Carl.

Shirley Witt of Lutherans for Life and Campaign Life Coalition said that Henry will be best remembered as a “faithful and humble worker. Faithful, faithful, Henry never refused a request for help.”

In his retirement years Henry served as treasurer for Renfrew County Right to Life and Lutherans for Life where he made valuable contributions with his beautiful penmanship and precise bookkeeping skills. He served his church, St. Timothy’s Lutheran, in many ways as well.

Henry was always supportive of whatever actions Alice would take for the pro-life cause, be it picketing the Ontario Attorney-General in a snowstorm or attending pro-life meetings in many locations far distant from Pembroke, including the 161-kilometre trek to Ottawa. Alice and Henry were regular visitors to the CLC Ottawa office where they would pick up information for the use of Pembroke pro-lifers or bring in clippings, tickets or whatever was required for various current projects.

Henry and Alice attended all major pro-life events held in Ottawa for almost thirty years and they usually brought a car full of Renfrew County pro-lifers with them.

In the last year of his life, following hip surgery, Henry didn’t always come in to the office in Ottawa because the stairs were a barrier, but he would have a good word from the driver’s seat of the car. Henry had a fine sense of humor.

On his death, donations were directed to Lutherans for Life and Renfrew County Right to Life. Shirley Witt noted, “Even in death he was a witness for life.”