Henry Edward Hren, 94, of Decatur, NY, peacefully went to God on August 15th, 2026, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in Albany, NY.

Henry was born on July 25th, 1932, in Decatur, NY to Leopold and Antoinette (Skerl) Hren.

Henry is survived by his wife Jean and their children, Mary (Ford) Oxaal of Cohoes, NY, Fritzi (Michael) Kloecker of Meadville, PA, Margie (Brad) Stockwell of Troy, NY, and Vicky (Cary) Myers of Guilderland, NY, as well as by his “daughter-in-love”, Mary (Hank) Hren of Johnsonville, NY, 23 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Henry is predeceased by his sons Edward Hren and Henry (“Hank”) Edward Hren, Jr., granddaughters Christine Stockwell and Angelina Myers, his parents, his sisters Marie Fedor and Elsie Conte, and his brothers Leo, Joe, Tony and John.

During his childhood, Henry lived and worked on the family dairy farm, then graduated from Worcester Central School in 1950. Henry stayed in Decatur until his late 20s, when he left to volunteer at the Saint Francis mission on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. It was there that he met the love of his life, Jean (Hare) Hren, formerly of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The two married in 1961 and moved to Valentine, Nebraska, where they resided for one year. Returning to Decatur with their first child in 1962, Henry began his career as a carpenter and eventually was self-employed in this field until his retirement more than thirty years later. The family grew with the births of several more children and, following a move to Oneonta, NY, Henry attended and graduated from SUNY Oneonta with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, while continuing to work and raise his children.

Just before retirement, Henry and Jean returned to Decatur, and resided in “the cabin”, a dwelling which Henry had built in the mid-1970’s on property down the road from the family farm. He applied his amazing carpentry skills to converting this rustic dwelling to a larger year-round home, positioning this home to take full advantage of the incredible views of the distant rolling hills. He never failed to take time every day to soak in the view and to appreciate God’s handiwork. Many happy times were shared there through the years, first with his children on summer weekends and snowy afternoons, and eventually year-round with their spouses and children. Henry’s labors of love included wood working projects, using his “Belle” (Belarus) tractor to reshape the landscape and to accomplish property management chores, cutting down trees, splitting and stacking wood with his grandsons (followed by a celebratory drink of Miller High Life), sowing and harvesting an annual vegetable garden, and tending to a small fruit orchard. He always said that work was “fun” when shared with his family. He knew when to rest, but in those moments, he often took the time to appreciate the wildlife, especially birds, which made this special place their home as well.

Henry was a faithful Catholic his entire life. Having said, “the Church is our life”, it was by his quiet and consistent example that he ensured his children were raised in this faith and taught to prioritize the love and worship of God. Henry exercised virtue in every area of his life: as a devoted and loving husband; a gentle and supportive father and grandfather; and an honest, hardworking perfectionist in every aspect of his work and labor. He was known to be curious and inquisitive all his life, with a desire to understand “how things work”. This resulted in Henry being a great go-to source for many of the family as they attempted projects and sought solutions to dilemmas of almost any kind. He was content with the simplest of pleasures and mastered the life skill of delayed gratification. Perhaps Henry’s greatest gift was his ability to patiently listen with a sincere interest in the endeavors, successes, sorrows, anecdotes and opinions of his family members. His compassion and love flavored every interaction and was truly a reflection of that of our Heavenly Father.

Henry’s impact will live on not only through his daughters, but also through his grandchildren, who love him dearly. He will be remembered through his family recipes, his blue eyes, which so many of his family members have, the various pieces of furniture he carefully and lovingly made with great skill, and the houses he built. He will be remembered when looking at the beautiful country view from his front porch, when sipping an afternoon coffee, and when listening and dancing to polka music. He will be missed by each family member in their solitude, but most especially when the family gathers together. Henry was important in the lives of so many, and he was, and still is, a role model for every person in his legacy.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, 201 Main Street, Worcester, NY on Thursday, August 20 at 2 pm, and will be con-celebrated by Reverend Joseph Arockiasamy and Reverend Charles Onyeneke.

The family kindly requests that flowers not be sent.

A private burial will take place at the convenience of the family.

Arrangements are entrusted with Heller & Skinner Funeral Home, 155 Main St., Worcester.  Expressions of sympathy may be made at, www.hellerskinnerfh.com