Harriet Henkemeyer

God was given the sweetest angel on June 5th, 2021. Her name is Harriet Henkemeyer. A Memorial Service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, June 11, 2021 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in St. Cloud. Reverend Thomas Knoblach will officiate. Burial will take place in Assumption Cemetery in St. Cloud.

Visitation will be after 9:30 a.m. at the church on Friday. 

Harriet Eleanor (Muntifering) Henkemeyer was born the third child of eleven, on January 18,1924, to her parents Genevieve and Henry Muntifering. Recently, at age 97, she told us that to this day, her favorite memory is feeling the excitement of waking up on Christmas morning to envision the lighted candles on her Christmas tree. However, we all know her most cherished memories were created in the 75 years she shared with the love of her life, Jack (John) Henkemeyer. She married this most wonderful man on August 1,1945, and the two of them and their six children, and their grandkids came to cherish many more memories for the rest of their lives.

If you ask her six children about life with their mom, each would say she was always someone they could count on. The five boys; Dennis, Bob, Tom, Mike, Jim, and their little sister Mary were greeted mornings with delicious hot breakfast meals, and Sundays meant Harriet’s famous chicken dinner. She said she was blessed, because she had a big family to take care of. As years flew by, Jack and Harriet worked side by side in the produce department at Super Value in St. Cloud. They made such a great team.

The next twenty years were filled with weddings followed by baby showers. The grandchildren arrived in waves. These years were filled with visits to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, and Henkemeyer picnics, softball games, and a trip downtown with Grandma on the city bus, one grandchild at a time. Rumor has it that one grandson got so scared of the bus driver, that he had to sit on Grandma’s lap for protection. As the grandkids grew up, Grandma and Grandpa spent many a day watching their grandkids’ activities.

The last years for Grandma have been about the great grandchildren who are the sweet little ones who have helped fill the void when losing Jack to Covid this past winter. Grandma loved collecting all the hugs, and loved passing out her m&m’s to the kids when they came to visit. When one of the “greats” heard that Grandma Harriet died, he said, “I’m sad that Grandma died. But I’m kinda happy because now she gets to go see Grandpa.”

Grandma was the person who everyone loved because she made each of us feel special. Grandma Harriet taught us the power of prayer. Each of us would always be asking for her “special prayers” because we know she has a special connection with the angels. We believe that her sharing unfailing faith in God, we are comforted knowing that she is watching over us with Grandpa Jack and son Jim.

Harriet is survived by her children Dennis (Denise); Robert (Betty);Thomas (Susan); Michael (Pat) Mary Ley (Mark); 19 grandchildren; and 30 great grandchildren.

Our whole family would like to share our sincere appreciation to Good Shepherd Nursing Home and Hospice for the wonderful and special care you have given our parents!