Michael Wurzer Henry John Kampa passed away Tuesday, May 8, 2007. Henry was my father-in-law and, more importantly, the loving husband of Marlene and father of Tom, Brian, Wendy, and Karen, my wife. All who knew Henry were incredibly privileged.
Henry was catholic, both with a big and little “c”. Henry lived his Catholic faith every day and, as a result, was the most whole or catholic person I’ve ever met. Henry was able to embody completely what too often are singular or even polar qualities in others. Henry was both:
patient and firm,
strong and gentle,
proud and humble,
funny and serious,
meticulous and happy go lucky,
a doer and a dreamer,
giving to himself and others, and
a man devoted to his friends and family.
Any one of these qualities would have made Henry great; that he possessed all of them simultaneously makes him heroic to me. As said in the Gospel of John, “God is love.” And so, too, Henry was love, which is why he will live on forever.