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Grave of Henry A. Novak.

Photo courtesy of Geraldine. Source: Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/24967883/henry-a-novak

Novak, Henry Albert (1919–1997)

By Adlai Wilfred M. Tornalejo, and Marilou Manatad Tornalejo

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Adlai Wilfred M. Tornalejo is a theology instructor at South Philippine Adventist College, Digos Davao del Sur, Philippines. He finished his Bachelor of Theology from Mountain View College, Valencia, Bukidnon, Philippines in 2016. He earned an M.A. in religion in church history and theology from the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies in 2018.

Marilou Manatad Tornalejo graduated in 1991 from Mountain View College with a Bachelor of Secondary Education, major in English. She finished her M. A. in Education from the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS) in 2013. She is currently working as a teacher and librarian at the AIIAS Academy. She is also pursuing a doctoral degree in Educational Specialist. She is married to Remwil R. Tornalejo and they have four children.

First Published: February 21, 2022

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Henry Albert Novak was a missionary medical doctor, hospital director, and World War II veteran.

Early Life

Henry Albert Novak was born January 9, 1919 in Lonesome Butte, Saskatchewan, Canada1 to George E. Novak and Anna F. Moseanko both from Russia but of U.S. citizenship.2 Henry had a younger sibling named George, Jr.3 Raised in an Adventist home of a colporteur,4 Henry Novak spent his early years in Hayden Lake and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and College Place, Washington. He was baptized in 1935 in Coeurd’Alene, Idaho by Elder Schnepper.5

Education and Marriage

Henry Albert Novak graduated in 1936 from Coeur d’Alene High School. He attended Walla Walla College from 1939 to 1944 to begin his bachelor’s degree. He transferred to Pacific Union College for his pre-medical course from 1945 to 1947. He attended the College of Medical Evangelists (now Loma Linda University) from 1947 to1952, earning a degree in medicine. Henry married Phyllis Clarene Meir on August 21, 1947, in Farmington, Washington. The marriage was officiated by Elder Leon Robbins. The Novaks settled in California while Henry pursued his medical course.6 Phyllis Clarene was born October 10, 1922 in Farmington, Washington to John Meier, an Adventist minister, and Ida Schlehuber. Phyllis was baptized in 1934 by her own father.

Phyllis Clarene graduated from Farmington High School in 1940. She then went to Walla Walla College and earned a degree in Secretarial, with a Home Economics minor, in 1944. After graduating she started working as secretary to the treasurer of the Voice of Prophecy, until 1947. She also attended Pacific Union College in 1946. From 1947 to 1950 she worked as secretary to the Director of Nurses at Loma Linda University. From 1961 to 1962 she was a Home Economics teacher at Lake City Jr. Academy.7

During the Novaks’ missionary service in the Far Eastern Division, Phyllis Novak served the Vietnam Mission as a news correspondent of the Southeast Asia Union Messenger.8 The Novaks had three children: Clarene and Cynthia, born in Spokane Washington, and Leland, born in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho.9

Ministry

Henry Novak started his medical career as an intern at St. Luke’s Hospital in Spokane, Washington. He then had a general practice as a physician in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.10 He served for 15 years in private practice in Idaho and California before serving overseas as a medical missionary doctor.11 He is also considered a World War II veteran, given a rank of staff sergeant, having served in the U.S. Air Force for 50 months.12 “During his early years of practice, he served as president of the Kootenai County Medical Association and was chosen as medical consultant to the County National Polio Foundation.”13

Towards the end of 1967, Novak received a call to serve as staff physician of the Bandung Sanitarium and Hospital in Indonesia.14 Before his visa arrived for Indonesia, Dr. Novak served for a time in the same capacity at the Haadjai Hospital in southern Thailand.15

From 1968 to 1970 he served as medical director in Rumah Sakit Advent, Bandung, Java, Indonesia.16 After their term in Indonesia, the Novaks returned to the States to be with their daughters, Cynthia and Renee, for their college education.17

Upon his return to the United States Dr. Novak became a member of the American College of Emergency Physicians.18 In 1973, after both daughters were married, the Novaks volunteered for mission service once more. They were quickly assigned to Vietnam at Saigon Adventist Hospital, where Henry served as staff physician. 19

After serving Saigon Adventist Hospital, the Novaks returned to the United States and continued his medical practice in California. In 1975 Dr. Novak joined the St. Helena Hospital and Health Center, in California in the outpatient, emergency, and Health Center programs.20 21

Later Life

Novak retired in 1982 yet remained active both the community and church work. Until 1996 he was active in temperance programs with an emphasis on youth.22 Henry A. Novak died February 24, 1997 at the age of 78, and was buried in Healdsburg, California.23

Legacy

Henry Albert Novak should be remembered as a medical missionary doctor and hospital director. He was instrumental in developing the standards and quality of health care offered by Adventist health institutions in the Far Eastern Division (now the Northern Asia-Pacific Division and Southern Asia-Pacific Division). He served his country, his community, and the world church.

Sources

“Answering the Call.” ARH, April 25, 1968.

Biographical Information Blank of Henry Albert Novak. General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Archives, Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.A.

Biographical Information Blank of Phyllis Clarene Novak. General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Archives, Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.A.

“FED News From Here and There.” Far Eastern Division Outlook, January 1968.

Information Overseas Workers for Henry Albert Novak. Southern-Asia Pacific Division Archives, Silang, Cavite, Philippines.

Leiske, LeRoy J. “Our Medical Work is Growing.” Northern Union Outlook, September 13, 1976.

Loma Linda University Alumni Journal, September-October 1997.

North Pacific Union Gleaner, September 16, 1947.

North Pacific Union Conference Gleaner, December 14, 1987.

Novak, G.E. “A Bit of News from Our Colporteurs.” North Pacific Union Gleaner, March 20, 1928.

“Novak Joins SAH Staff.” The Messenger, November-December 1973.

“Overseas News.” North Pacific Union Gleaner, April 14, 1969.

Remboldt, R.C. “Doctor’s Family Leaves for Mission Service.” North Pacific Union Gleaner, December 18, 1967.

The Messenger, May-June 1974.

“Three Physicians are Added to St. Helena Hospital Services; Specialties, Internal, Surgery, Pathology, Health Education.” Pacific Union Recorder, November 17, 1975.

Union Gleaner, May 5, 1997.

Notes

  1. Union Gleaner, May 5, 1997, 23. Courtesy of Loma Linda University Archives, November 4, 2021.↩

  2. Biographical Information Blank, Henry Albert Novak, General Conference of SDA Archives.↩

  3. North Pacific Union Conference Gleaner, December 14, 1987, 30. https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/NPG/NPG19871214-V82-23.pdf. Accessed November 3, 2021.↩

  4. G.E Novak, “A Bit of News from Our Colporteurs,” North Pacific Union Gleaner, March 20, 1928, 1. https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/NPG/NPG19280320-V23-12.pdf. Accessed November 3, 2021.↩

  5. Biographical Information Blank, Henry Albert Novak.↩

  6. North Pacific Union Gleaner, September 16, 1947, 6. Courtesy of Loma Linda University Archives, November 4, 2021.↩

  7. Biographical Information Blank, Phyllis Clarene Novak, General Conference of SDA Archives.↩

  8. The Messenger, May-June, 1974, 2. https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/SEAUM/SEAUM19740501-V24-03.pdf. Accessed November 2, 2021.↩

  9. Ibid.↩

  10. Loma Linda University Alumni Journal, September- October 1997, 43. Courtesy of Loma Linda University Archives, November 4, 2021.↩

  11. “Novak Joins SAH Staff,” The Messenger, November-December, 1973, 4. https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/SEAUM/SEAUM19731101-V23-06.pdf. Accessed November 2, 2021.↩

  12. R.C. Remboldt, “Doctor’s Family Leaves for Mission Service,” North Pacific Union Gleaner, December 18, 1967, 5. Courtesy of Loma Linda University Archives, November 4, 2021. See also Henry A. Novak, Find a Grave, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/103035909:60525.↩

  13. Loma Linda University Alumni Journal, September-October, 1997, 43.↩

  14. Information Overseas Workers, Henry Albert Novak, Southern-Asia Pacific Division Archives.↩

  15. “FED News From Here and There,” Far Eastern Division Outlook, January 1968, 16. https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/FEDO/FEDO19680101. Accessed November 1, 2021. See also “Answering the Call,” ARH, April 25, 1968, 20. https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/RH/RH19680425-V145-17.pdf. Accessed November 2, 2021.↩

  16. “Overseas News,” North Pacific Union Gleaner, April 14, 1969, 1. https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/NPG/NPG19690414-V64-15.pdf. Accessed November 1, 2021.↩

  17. Novak Joins SAH Staff,” The Messenger, November-December 1973, 4.↩

  18. Loma Linda University Alumni Journal, September- October 1997, 43.↩

  19. “Novak Joins SAH Staff,” The Messenger, November-December 1973, 4.↩

  20. “Three Physicians are Added to St. Helena Hospital Services; Specialties, Internal, Surgery, Pathology, Health Education,” Pacific Union Recorder, November, 17, 1975, 3. https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/PUR/PUR19751117-V75-20.pdf. Accessed November 3, 2021.↩

  21. LeRoy J. Leiske, “Our Medical Work is Growing,” Northern Union Outlook, September 13, 1976, 2.

    https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/NUO/NUO19760913-V40-20.pdf. Accessed November 2, 2021.↩

  22. Loma Linda University Alumni Journal, September-October 1997, 43.↩

  23. “Henry A. Novak,” Find a Grave, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/103035909:60525.↩

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Tornalejo, Adlai Wilfred M., Marilou Manatad Tornalejo. "Novak, Henry Albert (1919–1997)." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. February 21, 2022. Accessed September 10, 2024. https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=4JE2.

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Tornalejo, Adlai Wilfred M., Marilou Manatad Tornalejo. "Novak, Henry Albert (1919–1997)." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. February 21, 2022. Date of access September 10, 2024, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=4JE2.

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Tornalejo, Adlai Wilfred M., Marilou Manatad Tornalejo (2022, February 21). Novak, Henry Albert (1919–1997). Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Retrieved September 10, 2024, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=4JE2.

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