Henry Alderfer

W. Henry Alderfer passed away peacefully at home in Brattleboro, Vermont, held in loving prayer and surrounded by family. He was born on September 4, 1946, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and lived a life guided by service, spiritual devotion, adventure, and a deep, abiding reverence for the natural world.

 

Henry’s bond with Brattleboro reached back generations. His grandmother, an artist who kept a summer cottage here, first introduced him to this land. He knew Route 30 when it was still a dirt road and spent summers swimming in the West River, forming a lifelong connection to Vermont’s natural rhythms.

 

After more than 40 years living and working outside the USA, he returned with his wife, Lauren, and built a fully off-grid straw bale home—an expression of his commitment to simplicity, sustainability, and living in harmony with the earth.

 

Henry dedicated his professional life to humanitarian service. A conscientious objector guided by principle, he worked with organizations including CARE, USAID, and numerous USAID implementers, serving communities across Latin America and South Asia.

 

A defining chapter of Henry’s work unfolded in India, where he lived for more than a decade and served as Country Director for Project Concern International. There, he helped build community-led programs addressing public health, women’s and children’s rights, disaster recovery, and poverty alleviation. He also lived and worked in Bangladesh, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Afghanistan. He earned a doctorate in International Development and Leadership, as well as a master’s degree from the London School of Economics.

 

At the heart of Henry’s life was his spiritual practice. A devoted meditator and lifelong student of Paramahansa Yogananda, his spiritual life served as his guiding inner compass. He passed as he lived, in prayerful stillness, mala beads in hand.

 

Henry is survived by his wife and spiritual companion of 45 years, Lauren Alderfer, whom he met in Cuenca, Ecuador; his daughters, Daya and Sarah Alderfer; sons-in-law Ray Newal and Markus Thessing; his beloved grandchildren Sanai, Remi, Ariya, Layla, and Nico; his sister Hannah Alderfer; and his brother Jonathan Alderfer.

 

Those who feel moved are invited to make a donation in Henry’s memory to the Retreat Farm in Brattleboro. Its walking trails, open land, and commitment to deep connection with the natural world reflect the values Henry lived by—where stillness, attentiveness, and care for the earth nourish both body and spirit. Donations may be made at: https://donorbox.org/retreat-farm 

 

Henry’s life was a quiet offering—of service, reverence, and love. In ways both seen and unseen, his presence touched countless lives across the world. He will be remembered for the gentleness with which he moved through life, the devotion with which he honored the earth, and the peace he carried within him.

 

We will gather for a Celebration of Life in Brattleboro, Vermont, on Sunday, May 31st, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., on Henry’s beloved Vermont homestead. Additional details will be shared on this page.