Peacefully at home, surrounded by family, on Friday, April 19, 2024, we announce the passing of Horst Hermann Albert Volkmann at the age of 91 years.
Beloved husband of the late Kate (née Hofmann) and current partner of Shirley Austin. Loving father of Stephen (Julie), and Mark (Carmela). Proud grandfather of Brandon, Sheldon, Hannah (Jeanette), and Chelsea. Dear brother of Peter (May), Adolf (predeceased) (Leonore), Renate (predeceased) (Gerhardt), Gerhardt (predeceased).
Horst, being the eldest child, immigrated to Canada in 1957 to start a new life with nothing but hope for the future. As a tradesman (Photoengraver) he soon found gainful employment in his field. Once settled he returned to Germany to court his “soon to be” wife Kate who immigrated in 1959, the same year they would marry in Canada. Together they built a life in Canada raising two boys and embracing everything about what it means to be a Canadian in rural Ontario. They fell in love with the vast wilderness of this country, travelling from coast to coast and enjoying camping and fishing in northern Ontario. They enrolled their boys in the typical sports but hockey was where they spent a lot of time travelling around small town Ontario where they met and established lifelong friends.
Horst was always willing to try something new including a hobby farm and becoming a master carver of waterfowl and birds.
Some time after Kate passed in 1997 Horst connected with Shirley Austin who had lost her husband Ken the same year and the two of them began the next chapter of their respective lives. They travelled to many wonderful places in the world and spent time with their new extended families. The two of them loved and supported each other through the good times and the challenging times.
Horst will be sadly missed by all and will remain in our hearts in all that we do.
A Celebration of Life will be held at the Egan Funeral Home, 203 Queen Street S. (Hwy 50), Bolton (905-857-2213) on Sunday afternoon, April 28 from 12 to 2 o’clock.
If lieu of flowers, donations to a charity of your choice would be appreciated.
Condolences for the family may be offered at www.EganFuneralHome.com
Kim Austin
As a man whom I admired and loved greatly I will miss him to Mark Stephen Julie and Carm and their children. We shall all stay in touch and never forget the great times my deepest thoughts and prayers to all of you in this difficult time
To Shirley- Mom I hope you find peace knowing he is free of ailments and that he loved you so much. To my children Dana and Amanda Matt and Alexis and Atticus we will smile at the memories
William Holmes / Style Automotive
Shirly , We Are So Shocked And Saddened Hearing Of The Passing Of Horst. Our Deepest Condolences To Shirly And The Entire Volkman Family. Horst Was An Amazing Person Who We Enjoyed Stopping And Talking With Horst On His Latest Ventures In Life. I Always Enjoyed Our Time Together When Shirley And Horst Would Come In For Service. Once They Moved To Fergus They Still Returned To Bolton For Shirley’s Hair Appointments And Vehicle Service, He Will Be Greatly Missed. Rest In Peace My Friend.
Cameron Lindsey
Sorry to hear of Horsts passing. We had many interesting chats during his dental visits. Condolences to the whole family.
Meike Kreimeyer-Densky
Unsere aufrichtige Anteilnahme zu eurem Verlust. Ich kann mich noch an das letzte Treffen in Hannover erinnern, Onkel Horst hat seinen deutschen Dialekt nie verloren. Ich sende euch allen viel Kraft und Liebe. Er ist immer in unseren Herzen.
Our sincere condolences for your loss. I can still remember the last meeting in Hanover; Uncle Horst never lost his German dialect. I send you all lots of strength and love. He is always in our hearts.
Bruce & Marie McCallum
Our sincere condolences for your loss.
Rose & Tony Cavallari
Rose and I want to extend our deepest sympathies to the entire Volkmann family. Mark & Steve, your father’s legacy will live on through the love and wisdom he passed on to both of you. May you find strength in his memory. Our interactions with Horst were few and far between throughout the years, but the ones we did have were very positive experiences. Horst had a straightforward way of speaking to anyone, you knew that whatever he said to you was sincere and without any ambiguity.
With love , Rose and Tony Cavallari
Katy Below
To Horst’s family,
Our deepest condolences to all of you. Horst was a wonderful gentleman. My husband Joe and Horst enjoyed many conversations at the Garden Centre. May he rest in peace.
Katy Below & family
Marg Jones
Our deepest condolences to the Volkmann family. I met Hoarst when we volunteered on the Bolton Ag. Society together. Lovely man. May he rest in eternal peace
Bill and Maureen Bryan
To dear Shirley and the entire Volkman family. You have been our dear neighbors.for the past few years in Pine Meadows,, Belwood. we have enjoyed a few games of cribbage, Hoare used to come to Shuffleboard with us in Elora, and we had many visits just on the porch. He was always working in his flowerbeds, nurturing his lawn, And trying to raise tomato plants bigger than ours. We had a contest on who could grow the better. He showed us his wonderful carvings that he had done over the years , a talant to behold . We will surely miss him dearly, he was a gentleman and we enjoyed his friendship. he is now free of discomfort, and with the Lord. May you rest in peace. Your friends, Bill and Maureen.
Dagmar Rösner
Liebe Shirley, lieber Stephen, lieber Mark!
Wir alle aus Hannover möchten Euch und Euren Familien unser herzlichstes und tiefempfundenes Beileid ausdrücken.
Horst war ein charismatischer, sympathischer, kluger, aufrichtiger Mann.
Leider konnte ich nur selten mit meinem Onkel zusammen sein, doch diese Zeit habe ich immer sehr genossen!
Er hat uns voller Stolz sein Land gezeigt, ist kilometerweit mit uns durch die schönsten Gegenden Ontarios gefahren. Er wusste so viel über die Natur, die Pflanzen und Tiere.
Er war mit uns campen und fischen, das waren die schönsten Urlaube meines Lebens!
Ebenso war er so sehr an seinem Geburtsland interessiert. So sind wir mit ihm ebenfalls durch die Gegend gefahren, haben Schlösser und Fachwerkhäuser besichtigt!
Ich habe ihm so gerne amüsiert zugeschaut, wenn er seine Hühner gebadet hat! Ich habe seine Schnitzkunst bewundert.
Ich habe so gerne mit ihm nachts vor seinem Haus gesessen, die Sterne angeschaut, und mit ihm über “Gott und die Welt” geredet! Ich habe seinen Berliner Dialekt geliebt, wenn er Geschichten von früher erzählt hat!
Mein Lieblingssouvenir ist eine Kaffeetasse von “Tim Hortons”, die er mir noch am Flughafen mit einem verschmitzten Lächeln überreicht hat – nur er und ich wissen um die Bedeutung!
Ich bin sehr traurig, und ich werde meinen Lieblingsonkel immer in meiner Erinnerung behalten., Er hatte ein langes, interessantes und sicher auch schönes Leben, möge er nun in Frieden ruhen.
Sandi, Ron & Steve Ramer
We are so fortunate to share such great memories with Horst in northern British Columbia. We remember walking the streets of Prince Rupert and Horst was looking for the perfect gift to take home to you. He put a lot of thought into it. We are grateful to have spent the week with him.
Love, Sandi, Ron and Steve
Marg
Mark and Stephen and families, Sincere condolences from friends of a long time ago. We loved to visit the little farm and tried to learn something about gardens and animals. Your parents were good friends. I have some very good memories. The Pilsons’
Angie (Weinczok) Schoonhoven
Shirley, Stephen, Mark, and families, I can hear “Onkel” Horst’s hearty laugh and see the twinkle in his eyes even now. My condolences on your loss.
Carolyn Coulombe
Our deepest condolences to the Volkmann family. We will surely miss Horst as our neighbour at Pine Meadows. May you rest in peace. Gilles and Carolyn
Alberto Volkmann
Miss Shirley, Mark and Steve… My condolences on the velocity of your father and my uncle… I wish I would’ve known him better, as well as all of you…
I know he lived a good life with y’all, and I pray that you find peace and consolation, in the fact that he lived a full and prosperous life… He’s moved on to be with the Lord now, and sometimes soon we will all be with him as well…
I pray that the love and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ, be with you all, and know that His mercy and love is sufficient in all moments… If we only turn to him with our needs and depend on His grace.
God bless and keep you all
Alberto Volkmann, from New Orleans
Diane Killam
To the Volkmann Family: So sorry to hear of Horst’s passing. I met your Mom at bowling and through her met your Dad. I used to see your Dad at the Wellness Centre and he always had a friendly smile and kind words. Sweet, sweet man. Missed seeing him when I moved. Keep those memories close.
Tom and Jamie Leonard
Tom and I want to extend our deepest sympathies to the family.
We were so fortunate to have spent our vacations north fishing with Horst and Shirley and we have so many happy memories of Horst.
Rest in peace
Tom and Jamie Leonard
Trent Lakes
Lionel Hall
Shirley, Stephen, Mark & Extended Family:
Please except our condolences on the loss of Horst. We met in the fall of 2004 while taking lessons from a mutual friend on how to carve a duck. As these lessons continued year after year we became good friends and shared many laughs and how he enjoyed the fishing trips. We also learned that both of us worked in the printing industry and for several years had worked in side-to-side buildings in the Toronto downtown area. As an excellent carver and gentleman I know he will missed by many.
Grace & Lionel Hall
Shelley Beleutz
Volkmann Family
His handshake and smile were strong and true.
Cherish the memories you had with him.
My thoughts are with Mark, Carm, Hannah(Jeanette), Chelsea and Stephen, Julie, Brandon and Sheldon and the entire Volkmann family at this very difficult time.
Much love
Shelley
Volkmar
Ihr Lieben,
als ich von Horsts Tod erfahren habe, war ich erschüttert und mir fehlen offen gestanden die Worte.
Ich trauere mit Euch und wünsche Euch viel Kraft und Liebe, um diesen Verlust zu überwinden.
Seinem Handeln zolle ich höchsten Respekt !
Möge er in Frieden ruhen.
Liebe Grüße, Volkmar.
Ines Hofmann-Münnich
Liebe Shirley unbekannterweise,
Lieber Stephen, lieber Mark,
ich bin sehr traurig, dass Onkel Horst von uns gegangen ist.
Ich und mein Mann Frank haben ihn in so guter Erinnerung. Obwohl wir uns leider nur sehr selten gesehen haben, war es eine schöne und sehr vertrauensvolle Begegnung mit ihm.
Nach dem Mauerfall waren wir 1992 in Kanada. Onkel Horst hat uns viel gezeigt. Er war immer für uns da, obwohl Tante Käte bereits schwerkrank erkrankt war. Das werden wir ihm nie vergessen.
Möge er in Frieden ruhen. Er hat einen Platz in unserem Herzen.
Wir wünschen euch allen viel Kraft. Was bleibt, ist die Erinnerung.
Cousine Ines (Tochter von Onkel Horst Hofmann) und Frank aus Berlin
Dana McCauley
I’m deeply sorry for your loss. I know how much he meant to you and to everyone who knew him. My thoughts are with you during this difficult time. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to support you.