Henry Nathan

HENRY NATHAN MASON-Henry Nathan , age 98, passed away, October 30, 2019. Henry (Heinz) Nathan the firstborn son of Max and Adele Nathan of Witzenhausen, Germany showed his survival instincts from the beginning. He was born prematurely on March 8, 1921 and spent his first six months hospitalized in the Red Cross Hospital of the nearby larger city of Kassel. In this small burg hometown children began their education at a Jewish preschool around age 3 and continued learning in this one classroom environment with individualized studies until high school. At sixteen he switched to the Hashara to commence his professional training in landscaping, as he had no interest in joining the family business of renting and selling horses. With the modernization of cars and trucks taking over as means of transportation, delivery vehicles and farm labor, Henry saw the demise of the family business in the future, having lived in the extended multi-family housing compound of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins that existed near stables. He had fulfilled his responsibilities growing up tending to the horses, cleaning stalls, etc. and intended to take his agricultural knowledge to Israel. With the outbreak of World War II and inability as a Jew to continue his education, Henry at only 18 years old, traveled alone with only his families blessing to Rotterdam to make arrangements for fleeing Germany and traveling to America. After 6 months of multiple trips to the authorities and refusing to be stonewalled again from his plans, he finally worked out the financial and legal requirements to make the journey across the ocean. Unfortunately, as much as he tried to convince his family to join him, his entire family, including his younger brother Fred and sister Laurie perished at the hand of the Nazis. With a single relative in Cincinnati, Henry decided to venture to the Midwest and found a room in a boarding house, and a job at Crown Overall Company, as one of their eight hundred employees. The local landscaping company did not hire Jews, so Henry started cleaning offices at 3 AM, operating the elevator at 7 AM, and any other tasks. He did this for approximately one and a half years until he was offered a job by Vulcan Copper and Supply Company, where he began his career as a coppersmith. In addition to work, he went to night class at Hughes High School to complete his education. He walked or rode the street cars to the Hebrew Union College and the Jewish Community Center to play basketball and be with other members of his faith. During this time, he met Meta Bonem, a beautician, who was a recent immigrant from Luxembourg. She had also been born in Germany.In 1942, Henry volunteered to join the United States Air Force with the hope that someday he and Meta would get married, but he did not propose and tie her down in case he did not return. Due to his inability to wear the masks worn by the pilots, he was shipped to Great Falls Montana and then Fairbanks, Alaska to serve with the Military Police. Wanting adventure and to get out of the cold Northwest, Henry again volunteered, this time to go overseas. Basic training led him to the beaches of Florida, where he marched on the sands and although he was being trained for the Pacific, a military change in plans transferred him to a ship out of New Jersey through the blockades to Liverpool, England. Henry became a member of the motor pool in England, driving trucks throughout Europe including Belgium, France, near the German borders along the Rhine River. He was promoted to dispatcher and organized the transport of troops and supplies, always sending Meta bracelets and trinkets from his various posts without divulging specifics. Completing his duties in Europe, Henry was sent back to the U.S. and awaited orders. He planned on being sent to the Pacific, but instead received an honorable discharge with the end of the war. On Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 1945, the Rabbi pronounced Henry Nathan and Meta Bonem, husband and wife. After a dinner with family and friends they honeymooned in Chicago. Although Meta had said she would never marry a butcher, Henry, the coppersmith, and his father-in-law, Julius Bonem, the butcher, from Germany and Luxembourg purchased a store on Prospect Place in Avondale. For about five years, as many customers had no means of transportation, they delivered meat, groceries, and even bread picked up for their loyal customers from Wolf Bakery. Bonem’s Kosher Meat Market continued to grow, delivering groceries and meat. They moved to Reading Road near Rockdale and eventually Swifton Shopping Center in Bond Hill, and finally Brookcrest Avenue in Roselawn. Bonem’s was the distributor for Horowitz Margareten, a Kosher grocery and matzo company. The shop was a family affair with Julius teaching Henry as he worked into retirement, with his wife, Johanna schmoozing with the customers. Henry took over as chief butcher and Meta ran the deli, cash register and bookkeeping. Children shopping with their parents were delighted to snack on a piece of salami or bologna. Sandwiches were stuffed with lots of cold cuts to the customers delight and were accompanied by a pickle from a barrel. With advancing age and wanting to slow down, Henry reluctantly closed Bonem’s Kosher Butcher Shop and worked for the Vaad Hoier at Toron’s and Pilders. Meta gave up being a beautician, although she maintained her license into her 70s, and worked side by side with Henry, adjusting her hours to take care of the needs of their two children, Milton and Judy, as they grew up and moved out of the house. Two weddings in the early 1970’s occurred, one for Milton, and the other for Judy’s, to her brother’s Golf Manor Synagogue breakfast minyan friend, Larry Knapp. The Nathan family celebrated many holidays and joyous occasions together with their four grandchildren, Jon and Laurie, Nathan, Shawn Jennifer and Scott Knapp. After a fall and lengthy hospitalization, Meta passed away in July 2003. Less than two months after Meta’s passing, with a heavy, but also joyous heart, Henry witnessed the marriage of his two older grandchildren, Jon to Dora and Shawn Jennifer to Brian. In August 2010, Max Nathan, Henry’s first great grandson, was added to the family tree. Henry’s first great granddaughter Mira was born in 2014. Laurie and Andrei were married and now have twin daughters Daniella and Hannah born in 2017. Throughout his working life and into retirement Henry kept involved in Jewish Life programs whether at New Hope Synagogue, Young Israel, or finally Golf Manor Synagogue, where he was treasurer of the Men’s Club and acted as a Gabbai for over 20 years. He continued to serve on the board and aid the synagogue with the Soup Kitchen’s and Red Cross Blood drives up until recently. Upon closing Bonem’s Kosher Meat Market, Henry and Meta, started volunteering at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in various capacities where he still helped until recently. Over the years, Henry reorganized the mailroom, delivered mail and magazines, read to children on the rehabilitation floor, made appointment calls for pulmonary patients, and collated medical forms for same-day surgery and urology. He was named volunteer of the year in 2004. He continued to be a proud member of the Veterans Group Wittenstein Middleman Post #524 and served as their treasurer until the post merged after setting up permanent fixtures in the gazebo and flag garden at Cedar Village and War Veteran memorial at a cemetery. Services will be held at the Weil Kahn Funeral Home, 8350 Cornell Road, Sunday, November 3, 11:00 A.M. (Daylight Savings Time). Shiva will be observed Sunday-Tuesday morning at the residence of Judy and Larry Knapp, 11854 Whittington Lane, Cincinnati, Ohio 45249. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the charity of one’s choice would be appreciated.

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Henry Nathan

March 8, 1921 - October 30, 2019