Obituary of Helmut Wilhelm Steinecke

Helmut Steinecke Peacefully on Sunday, May 8, 2016 at Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital surrounded by family, at the age of 86. Loving husband of Therese Steinecke (nee Truderung) for sixty years. Beloved father of Richard (Donna) Steinecke, Ellen (Theo) van der Veen and Julia (Michelle) Steinecke. Dear grandfather of Laura (Mike), Joel (Adrienne), Peter, Carolyn (Adrian) and Rebecca and doting great-grandfather of Ellie. Helmut was born in Zeitz, Germany on Nov. 16, 1929. He spent his early years there and on the island of Ruegen in the Baltic Sea. He lived through WWII and often had to fend for himself near the war’s end. He moved to Canada in 1951 and worked as a lumberjack until he was hired as a machinist at Spruce Falls Power and Paper Company in Kapuskasing. Therese and Helmut became pen pals through a German newspaper while she was a new immigrant working as a nurse in Medicine Hat, Alberta. They married in 1956 and moved to West Riverside, outside Kapuskasing, where Helmut built their first home and they raised their three children. Helmut and Therese started a greenhouse business and eventually a flower shop while Helmut continued on at Spruce Falls. He retired in 1982 and they moved to western Ontario for the warmer climate and greater proximity to their grown children. Helmut built another greenhouse and Therese purchased a flower shop in Lambeth where Helmut helped with deliveries while running the greenhouse. They sold the flower shop in 1989 but did not fully retire until Helmut closed his greenhouse business at the end of 1995. They enjoyed having more time for visits from their kids and grandkids, as well as a trip to Germany in 1996 to see family and visit his beloved Ruegen. Helmut and Therese made good friends at Bethel Baptist and First Baptist churches and settled into a quiet routine when they eventually moved to Trillium Village in Strathroy. Helmut was deeply loved by his family and will be missed very much. Cremation has taken place. Friends will be received at First Baptist Church, 20 Centre St. W., Strathroy, Ont., on Saturday, May 28 from 1:00 p.m. followed by a memorial service at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the VON Canada or to the Gideons International Canada. Online condolences accepted at www.denning.ca