Edwin Roy Henry

Services for Edwin Roy Henry, 98 years, 8 months, of rural Indianola, Iowa, who passed away at his home on Friday, November 28, 2025 from pancreatic cancer, will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, December 4, 2025 at Farmer's Chapel Church. The Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, December 3, 2025 at Farmer's Chapel Church with burial following in the Indianola I.O.O.F. Cemetery.

Edwin was born March 1, 1927 in Palmyra Township in Warren County, the second child of Roy and Ruth Brown Henry. Edwin graduated from Indianola High School in 1945. Drafted into the Army for the Korean War, he was medically discharged due to childhood polio. Always interested in gaining knowledge, he attended the Iowa State University Winter Short Course for Farmers in the 1950s. He married Ruth Lenore Richards of Northboro, Iowa on June 29, 1952 and they raised their family in the home they would occupy for 70 years. As their family grew, Edwin stocked shelves at Hy-Vee grocery store for extra income in the winter months. He farmed his entire life raising corn, soybeans, Angus cattle, hogs, hay, wheat and oats. He won numerous awards including several Iowa Master Corn Grower awards.

Edwin served as president of the Warren County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, a Warren County Fair Board superintendent, and was a leader for BeSquare 4-H Club. He, along with Ruth, ran the Farm Bureau Food Stand at the Warren County Fair for several years. The Warren County Log Cabin Days recognized Edwin and Ruth as the 2006 Festival King and Queen. Edwin so enjoyed traveling, camping, playing cards, dominos and driving antique Oliver tractors on tractor rides. He was a multi-generational farmer, an advocate for agriculture and a life-long member of Farmer's Chapel Church.

Edwin loved traveling out West where he enjoyed the beauty of God's mountains. He drove his family of six many miles in a 1960 Studebaker pickup with a camper he built. Most vacations found them in the mountains or connecting with relatives that lived far away from Iowa. After Ruth retired from teaching, for the next 25 years they pulled their 5th wheel trailer and spent a few months each winter in Arizona, California, Florida and Tennessee making many friends and spending time with family, but always returning to Iowa in time for Spring planting. He loved his family, farming, old Westerns, country music, Oliver tractors, and visiting with friends and family. Edwin sat in the combine one last time for the Fall harvest of 2025.

Edwin was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Ruth; son, Allen; his parents; sister, Martha Helen Strahan and her husband Lowell; brothers, Harvey and his wife Gloria and Merrill and his wife Edith. He is survived by his children, Carol (Mark) McBride of Manchester, Tennessee, Marilyn (Mark) Goodhue of Carlisle, Keith (Marie) Henry; daughter-in-law, Cindy Henry; and brother, Dale (Lucille) of Indianola; 13 grandchildren, Amanda (Tim) Nelson, Blake (Rachelle) Henry, Hannah (Joe) Byers, Matthew (Amanda) McBride, Andrew (Katie) McBride, Stephen (Megan) McBride, Summer (Doug) Muetzel, Ki'a Goodhue, Samantha Goodhue, Lexie (Tyler) Dollison, Allison (Cody) Miller, Megan (Andrew) Carlson, Jordan (Kennady) Henry; 20 great-grandchildren, Amanda (Casey) McKasson, and A.J. (Bailey) Nelson, Oliver and Stormi Henry, Halle and Hoyt Byers, Meredith, Joanna and William McBride, Levi, Silas and Miles McBride, Heidi and Lydia McBride, Harlee Dollison, Henry, Holden and Hadley Miller, and twins Theodore and Ezekiel Carlson; 5 great great-grandchildren, Dylan, Aubrey, and Hudson McKasson, Tucker and Teddy Nelson; also, numerous nieces and nephews, as well as special friends of the family Greg and Sharron McKee.

The family is grateful to Suncrest Hospice for the excellent care given to Edwin, as they had also done for his wife, Ruth.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial gift to Suncrest Hospice, 5959 Village View Drive, Ste 100, West Des Moines, IA 50266 or a donation in Edwin's memory to use as a future memorial.