Swine breeder Henry (Hedrik) DeWolde died Tuesday, Dec. 20.
He was 67.
He established Bra-Ma-Rod Farm at Ashburn.
He also rescued Ontario Swine Improvement Inc. from
bankruptcy several years after the federal and provincial governments
privatized their genetic improvement programs.
He changed roles from elected president to general manager
and implemented radical changes to save money, yet to continue offering key
services to hog producers, including artificial insemination while it was the
only entity offering the service in Ontario.
He moved the business out of a test station between New
Dundee and New Hamburg and established it in new facilities near Innerkip.
He helped settle raging controversies over the agency’s
future and envisioned a future of “target hogs” tailored to specific markets,
such as supermarket brand-name pork of specific qualities.
When he retired from the hog business, he bought and ran
Shelter Valley Mobile Home Park near Picton.
His son, Rod, has followed him in hog breeding and as a
director of Ontario Swine Improvement Inc.
Henry went to the New Orleans area as a disaster-response
volunteer after Hurricane Katrina devastated the area and soon ended up
managing the relief efforts for that agency.
He was a member of Bethany Christian Reformed Church where
funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Dec. 23.
Donations to Christian Reformed World Relief Committee are
welcomed as expressions of sympathy.
He is survived by his wife, Wilma, sons Mark, Rod and Brad
and daughter Becky.
