
Henry was born February 21, 1918 near Edmore, ND to Nils and Anna (Johanessen) Ness. He graduated from Starkweather High School. He went on to attend college at North Dakota Agricultural College, graduating in 1941 with a degree in Agriculture. He taught for a year in Cavalier, ND before WWII intervened. He enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving in Army Air Force where he spent three years in the Air Transport Command.