Henry Willmes of Moscow, beloved husband, father, "Opa" and friend, died Tuesday, July 13, 2010 at his home. He was 70.

He was born August 30, 1939 in Bocholt, Germany to Albert and Anna Mumken Willmes.

As a young child, he and his mother and sister, along with many other civilians were evacuated from the city. From 1943 to 1946, they lived in Wels, Austria on a farm with a flour mill. The young Willmes family formed a lasting friendship with the owner of the farm, Tante Schuller.

After the war, the family moved to Neuss, Germany. Henry was the first one in his family to attend German gymnasium (high school) and college.

He and his family immigrated from Germany to the United States in November 1954 aboard the ms Maasdam when he was 15 years old. They settled in Los Angeles. Henry and his family became naturalized United States citizens in 1960. During high school and college, he and his family were members of the Tyrolean and Bavarian Zither Club in Los Angeles, where he taught German folk dancing.

Henry graduated from Los Angeles High School in 1957. He attended the University of California at Los Angeles, where he earned Bachelors, Masters, and Ph.D. degrees in Physics. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. During college, he was in the Air Force ROTC program. After college he served in the Air Force from 1965 to 1968 stationed at Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio at the Aerospace Research Laboratories as a Nuclear Research Officer. He attained the rank of captain.

In 1968, Henry was hired as a professor of Physics at the University of Idaho. He was a member of the Physics Department from 1968 until his retirement in May 2002, including 17 years as Department Chair. In 1975, he spent a sabbatical year at the Max-Planck Institute in Heidelberg, Germany. During that year, he and his family visited the Schuller farm in Austria and enjoyed reconnecting with his German relatives.

On Valentine’s Day 1965, he met Cathryn Hinchey at UCLA. They were married July 9, 1966 in Santa Monica, California.

Henry enjoyed many interests, which he pursued following retirement. He loved ballroom dancing. He and Cathy enjoyed many happy times dancing together as members of the Palouse Dance Club. He also loved running with the Team DeMoura and Palouse Road Runners running clubs. He was proud of participating in a number of WSU 100K relay races and ran half-marathons in Seattle and Phoenix with his sons. He also loved Sunday bike rides with his Team DeMoura friends and volunteered as an official at local track and field events. He was a Master Gardener, and enjoyed creating a beautiful landscape at his home with Cathy. He was famous for doing crossword puzzles in pen with complete accuracy.

Henry gave generously of his time after retirement, serving as treasurer of the Palouse Audubon Society and Palouse Land Trust and as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels. He also worked as layout editor for the Natural Areas Journal and for the Moscow League of Women Voters, and served as a member of the Moscow Health & Environment Commission.

Henry will especially be remembered for his compassion, selflessness, impeccable character and steadfast devotion to his family and friends. His kind, cheerful demeanor endeared him to many people.

He is survived by his wife Cathryn Willmes of Moscow, son Charles Willmes and his wife Susan of Seattle, daughter Julie (Willmes) Zommers and her husband Pauls of Seattle, son Matthew Willmes of Shoreline, Washington, and grandchildren Henry, Laila, Clare, Anna and Aleks, as well as his sister Katharina Benyei and her husband Frank, and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, Henry’s family suggests donations to Palouse Road Runners running club (palouseroadrunners.org, c/o Gary Bryan) or the Union of Concerned Scientists (ucsusa.org).

Henry’s family wishes to thank all of their friends and family for their love and support.

The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM Saturday, July 17, 2010 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Moscow by Rev. Brian May, assisted by Deacon George Canney. Burial will follow at the Moscow Cemetery.

Services have been entrusted to Short's Funeral Chapel, Moscow, and online condolences may be left at www.shortsfuneralchapel.net.