This morning we bade farewell to a beautiful soul.

Henry Baker Sims passed away suddenly on Sunday, 27 November 2022. In an ironic twist, this was also the day his beloved Demons rose to glory with their first AFLW premiership.

The Melbourne Football Club was one of Henry’s great loves. As a kid he would bear witness to 6 Premierships, 5 of them coming in 6 years, mostly against archrivals Collingwood. Such was Henry’s great character, he could not even find a bad word to say about the ‘Pies! It is for fans like Henry that the 2021 flag was so much sweeter, as they had ridden every high and endured every low since ’64. It certainly is A Grand Old Flag.

It is through his other passion that many gathered today – half the congregation decked out in EFNL umpire uniforms – had the privilege of meeting Henry. With his adored and adoring family aside, it might not be a stretch to say that footy and umpiring were life for H.

We were privileged today to hear from various members of Henry’s family with insights into Henry’s life, or Hen as he was affectionately known to them. None of it surprising, well maybe the extent of his hoarding; all of it affirming what we knew of Henry, just through a different lens. You know we have had a special person walk among us when the owner of the local fish & chip shop comes to their funeral!

The generosity and meticulous nature that we knew of Henry was shared, however the extent and depth of it was new. Yet somehow all the umpiring fraternity present just understood, and none were surprised. That was our Henry too.

We learned too of Henry’s strong faith that guided him through his wonderful life. Our thanks go to Henry’s family for sharing their experiences with Henry and stories of him; heartfelt tributes with humourous anecdotes that made my admiration, and I am sure that of others, for Henry grow further. Your raw reminiscence portrayed your love and appreciation of your Hen, our Henry, and gave all in attendance a greater appreciation of his life.

Meeting Henry when I took to the boundary in the then VFA 40 years ago, he was a revered figure amongst the young umpires. To open your appointment on the train and see his name running the boundary was cause for raucous celebration for the holder of the golden ticket (even if the game was in Werribee!) and disappointment and a long trip home for crestfallen team mates.

The reverence of my teenage years morphed into respect when we came together again in the EDFL/EFL/EFNL. Each of us had switched out of boundary, H into the goals and me into the field. A decade had passed, but with H it was like yesterday. I expect the goal umpires appointed with H each week might not have had raucous celebrations, but they would have a quiet smile at seeing his name alongside theirs.

That respect was celebrated often, sometimes when Henry would walk into our club rooms, or when his name was read out in appointments, with a collective roar, not a cheer, a roar of HHHENNNRYYY, not dissimilar to the greeting of NOOORM as he entered the bar in Cheers.

Henry’s propensity to traverse Melbourne via all forms and routes of public transport is legendary, and quite often he would not have it any other way; lifts were routinely declined so as not to put a friend out, and only taken when he thought refusal may offend! Not once did H decline an appointment because it was too far or he couldn’t get there – he would get his appointment on a Wednesday at training (no Schedula for old mate, didn’t use a computer and did not want to burden anyone else with checking for him) and then be able to reel off the timetable for the 903 bus and all connections to get him to whatever ground he was appointed to. Remarkable. He was one of a kind.

Henry was, quite simply, a good person – morally excellent, virtuous. He was a great person – markedly superior in character. I have never heard Henry utter a bad word or wish ill on another. If there is a person with a bad word to say about Henry, I have not found them, and would not even bother trying. Humble and kind, selfless and generous almost to a fault, Henry was comfortable in any company and you were always comfortable in his.

As I reflect, one of the great sadness’s I feel is that just at a time when we need kindness, humility and consideration devoid of ego, we lose the very person who lived that for over 70 years. Whilst we are richer for having had Henry in our lives, the world is poorer for his passing.

Condolences to Henry’s family and friends, and to the umpiring and football community, particularly the EFLUA and more broadly the EFNL, we have lost one of the best people among us and I truly hope the legacy of Henry Sims lives on through the years.

Thank you, Henry, for your friendship, care and sage words. You may not have understood, or maybe underestimated, the value or impact of them, but I don’t, and many, many others don’t. Thank you.

Rest in peace H, you would hate the fuss, but you deserve it.

One more time.

HHHENNNRYYY!!!