Henry Joseph Mongrain

Henry Joseph Mongrain passed away peacefully at his home in Orwigsburg, PA, on December 2, 2024. He is survived by his wife, Arlene (Burke) Mongrain; children, Noel, Allyson and Mark; their spouses, Kimberly, John and Stacy, and six grandchildren: Gabriella, Grace, William, Patrick, Stella and Anastasia.

Born on April 30, 1945 in Buck Mountain, PA, Henry was one of six children, and is survived by three siblings: Catherine Nahas, Robert Mongrain, and Michael Mongrain. His father passed away when he was eight years old, and Henry was raised by his mother, Catherine, with the support of an entire community of relatives and neighbors who lived in the Buck Mountain coal patch. As a child, Henry played among the coal banks and grass fields, and he attended St. Nicholas School and then Mahanoy Area High School. It was there where he met his future wife, Arlene. They were married for 54 years at the time of Henry’s death.

Henry served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1963-1966. It was during this time that Henry came to love boating– a passion that would eventually lead him to living in Lake Wynonah where he enjoyed summers on the water with family and friends.

Following the end of his tour in the Coast Guard, Henry hitchhiked from Norfolk, VA, back to Buck Mountain where he took up the trade of ironwork. A lifelong advocate for workers’ rights, Henry served as the president of Ironworkers Local 420 and president of the Berks County Building Trades Association. Throughout his career, he secured union-based jobs for skilled tradesman. Henry was a fixture on picket lines and a force to be reckoned with during labor negotiations.

In addition to boating, Henry had a passion for muscle cars. It started with his 1966 Pontiac GTO. During their retirement, he and Arlene cruised in their vintage Corvettes, with Henry wearing one of his many fashionable men’s hats.

Henry was a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles fan, but his real passion was watching his boys play football: his sons, Noel and Mark, and later, his grandsons William and Patrick. Despite the fact that he was dyslexic, Henry was an avid reader. He loved history books and political analyses. He read a multitude of newspapers each day and enjoyed writers Maggie Haberman and Thomas Friedman. Henry shared his knowledge with members of the East Ward Social Club in Schuylkill Haven, where he engaged in (mostly) friendly debates. He was known for carrying a pocket-sized U.S. Constitution.

Each member of Henry’s family was special to him. He died with the titles of beloved husband, brother, father, Pappers, Democrat, advocate and friend.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM on Friday, December 6th at St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, (94 Walnut Rd., Hamburg, PA 19526) with Father David Loeper officiating. A viewing will be held from 10:00 AM until the time of Mass.

Interment will be private at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers remembrances in the form of donations to St. Luke’s Hospice. Checks can be made payable to: St. Luke's University Health Network Development Office, 801 Ostrum St., Bethlehem, PA 18015 or Orwigsburg Area Free Public Library, https://www.orwigsburglibrary.org/donatevolunteer.