Henry Brand

Funeral services for Henry Brand, 93, of Knoxville, will be held Friday, January 30,
2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Knoxville. Interment will be at
the Graceland Cemetery. Family will greet friends prior to the service beginning at 10:00
a.m. A luncheon will follow for a time of continued fellowship. Memorials may be made
directly to the family and will be designated at a later date.
Henry John Brand Jr. was born on June 7, 1932, in Prairie City, Iowa, to Henry John
Brand Sr. and Marjorie Katherine (Tool) Brand. From a very young age, Henry learned
the value of hard work. At just seven years old, he began working on the family farm
using a team of horses, an early start to a lifetime defined by dedication, skill, and
perseverance.
Later, the family moved to Monroe, where Henry spent his teenage years helping local
businessmen by hauling coal for stoves and unloading semi-loads of sand and other
materials. He graduated from Monroe High School in 1951 and soon began his working
career, first at a dairy and later at Pella Corporation. At the age of 19, Henry began
working at Maytag, where he would spend 30 years before retiring. During his career,
he became a journeyman pipefitter, taking classes to further his skills. During a strike at
Maytag, Henry also worked at the Palo Nuclear Power Plant.
In addition to his full-time work, Henry farmed on the side, raising cattle, pigs, sheep,
turkeys, and ducks at various times. He was never one to shy away from hard work or
responsibility.
On November 16, 1958, Henry was united in marriage to Elizabeth Black in Attica, Iowa.
Together, they were blessed with three sons: Chris, Michael, and Kelly. Henry and
Elizabeth were inseparable throughout their life together, working alongside each other
in every endeavor.
Henry was a true builder in every sense of the word. He purchased a four-room house
and personally installed all the electrical and plumbing. Over the years, he expanded
the home multiple times, built a barn and several sheds, and helped neighbors construct
their own buildings. With remarkable determination, Henry dug out his basement one
bucket at a time. Through thousands of buckets of dirt. He eventually poured the
cement floors and walls himself. He also built several wood-burning stoves and heated
his home with wood for many years.
Though Henry cut down many trees, he also gave back to the land, planting thousands
of trees alongside his friend of 50 years, Curt Froyen. In his free time, he enjoyed
hunting mushrooms, deer hunting, and fishing with his brother Jim—simple pleasures
that brought him great joy.
Henry’s life was one of grit, craftsmanship, and quiet generosity. His legacy lives on in
the structures he built, the land he tended, and the family he loved so deeply.
He is survived by his wife Elizabeth of 67 years; 3 sons: Chris (Laurie), Michael (Pav),
and Kelly; sister: Linda Roush; six grandchildren: Jonathon (Ann), Christopher, Alex
(Jay), Michala (Taylor), Tyler, and Nicholas; 11 great grandchildren: Ashtin, Trey, Jaycie,
Madison, Colton, Wilson, Milo, Lillie, Hudson, Cooper, and Dallas; great great
granddaughter: Elena Rose.
He was preceded in death by his parents Henry and Marjorie; sister: Anna Mae
Gildersleeve; and brother: James Brand.