Henry Dale Bobe, 69, of Sullivan, passed away Sept. 20, 2021, at IU Methodist Hospital from COVID-19.

He was born July 2, 1952, in Vincennes to Bruce Edward and Helen Louise (Atkinson) Bobe.

Henry grew up with two brothers, Robert and Billy, on a farm in Vincennes and later, Bruceville. His childhood was filled with memories of playing imaginative games outdoors. Henry had a love of animals from a young age. As a kid, he had a pet pig named Archimedes that was known to participate in sleep-overs in his room and be put on the phone with unsuspecting callers. He loved dogs and had many over his life. Among his favorites was Heidi, a German Shepherd that taught herself to open the doors to his house and car.

Henry was a father of three, Brooke, Jason and Ashley; a grandfather of five, Sebastian, Sophia, Josephine, Lilla, and Liam; father-in-law to two, Victor and Caitlin; and cousin or uncle to many. Henry had a successful career in animal pharmaceuticals, becoming the youngest vice president at Diamond Shamrock and then CEO and COO of Fermenta Animal Health. Henry served on numerous boards, including Future Farmers of America, the American Royal, Sullivan County Hospital and Vincennes University.

In life, he was known as the family historian. When his job took him to Europe, he would spend his weekends in old churches and cemeteries, tracing back our family ancestry. He loved to cook and opened a restaurant in Sullivan after retiring from corporate America at an early age. He was a life-long supporter of Purdue University and a proud alumni. Henry was given a second chance at life in June 2020 when he received a double lung transplant at IU Methodist Hospital. These donated lungs provided him with a year and three months of borrowed time, without oxygen tanks. It did, however, put him among the 10 million vulnerable Americans that are immunocompromised. After two vaccine doses and a booster, his body was unable to produce enough protective antibodies. During this final chapter, there was nothing he loved more than to visit the family farm, spend time with his brother and sister-in-law, and anxiously await the strawberry harvest, a tradition started by his mother decades earlier.

Henry was preceded in death by more than 680,000 other Americans who tragically succumbed to COVID-19 — many unnecessarily.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that you get vaccinated for COVID, wear a mask and get tested at the first sign of symptoms. If you would like to honor his memory, you can make a donation to the IU Health Foundation or just simply register as an organ donor.

The funeral will be private.