Henry J. Rouba

Henry J. Rouba,100, formally of Worcester died Tuesday, November 16.

His beloved wife Helen passed away in 2005. He leaves two children, a son John Rouba and his wife Patricia of Foxboro and a daughter Linda and her friend Howie; two grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Henry was born in Akron OH son of William and Jadwiga Rouba. After serving in the US Army Air Corp. during WWII, Henry graduated from the University of Vermont. He received his Masters Degree from Worcester State College.

Henry enjoyed every day of the many years he was teacher of Agriculture, including Forestry and Animal Science for the Worcester Public School Department until his retirement. He continued to stay active in his retirement through volunteer work such as support for "The Tree Initiative" and the cleaning, raking and pruning around Kendrick Field and the railroad tracks near the Eagle Memorial both in Worcester. He wanted to help beautify the Greendale Neighborhood in which he lived and loved for so many years. When he was in his nineties, Henry was proud to receive the Mayor's Award for his volunteer work.

Henry had a great connection with nature and respected all its forms. He loved animals and they seemed to connect with him. He could watch bees on flowers for quite some time or marvel at how a seashell could be so beautifully formed. When he was young, Henry was skilled in carpentry and could build and remodel things in and around the home. He was meticulous, accurate and patient no matter how long the task took to complete. This was also evident in his landscaping and yard work. For many years and into his nineties, Henry happily spent hours pruning anything from a small shrub to a tree with his loppers, clippers and chainsaws. Limbs and branches were then cut to the right size to be stacked in a neat pile.

Henry also had a great love for hiking the rivers and hills of Massachusetts as well as playing basketball and shooting hoops at Kendrick field. He played basketball on teams in school and in later years enjoyed a game with family members at Holiday gatherings. As a lifelong learner and teacher, Henry enjoyed reading and gathering information on a wide variety of topics to share with others. He especially enjoyed history and topics on health and nature. He was very social and readily engaged in discussions ranging from politics to spirituality.

Henry also loved searching for "unusual treasures" at a good yard sale or taking in a Patriots win on TV. Lastly, he especially loved spending time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren and watching them at any sporting event.

A Private Graveside Service will be held in Rural Cemetery, Worcester.