In Loving Memory of Christa Hentsch (née Grünberg)

Christa Hentsch (née Grünberg) passed away peacefully on June 17, 2026, at the age of 92, leaving behind a legacy of love, strength, and devotion to family.

Born in Berlin, Germany, on August 26, 1933, Christa lived through extraordinary times. As a young woman, she met the love of her life, Ben Hentsch, through a newspaper correspondence (Heiratsanzeigen) that spanned the Atlantic Ocean. Ben, an Austrian immigrant working as a farm labourer in southwestern Ontario, and Christa exchanged letters that blossomed into a lifelong partnership. In 1957, Christa made the courageous journey to Canada, where she and Ben built a life together and raised their family both in Toronto and Tottenham.

Christa was predeceased by her beloved husband, Ben. She is lovingly remembered by her children, Georg and his wife Ingrid, and Helene and her husband Andy; her grandchildren, Ruby, Stefan, Erika, and Hanna; and her great-grandson, Dominic, who brought her much joy.

She held a special place in her heart for her niece, Gerti, and Gerti’s husband, Tony, along with their large and loving family of children and grandchildren. Despite the distance that sometimes separated them, those family bonds remained important throughout her life.

Christa was known for her independence, determination, and spirited nature. She loved cooking and baking for family and friends, tending her garden, and knitting for those she cared about. Whether preparing a favourite meal, sharing baked treats, or creating something with her knitting needles, she expressed her love through the work of her hands.

She enjoyed the companionship and activities of the Danube Seniors Leisure Centre, where she maintained friendships and remained engaged with her community.

Those who knew Christa will remember her as a spunky, resilient woman who faced life’s challenges with courage and determination. Having journeyed from postwar Berlin to Canada as a young woman, she built a life defined by hard work, family, and perseverance. Her warmth, humour, and strength will be deeply missed and fondly remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing her.

From Berlin to Tottenham, Christa’s journey was one of courage, hope, and love—a story that continues through the generations of family she leaves behind.

Her family takes comfort in the many memories she leaves behind and in the example of a life well lived.

May she rest in peace.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday June 26, 2026 from 1pm-3pm in the Cliffside Hall at Rod Abrams Funeral Home, 1666 Tottenham Rd., Tottenham 905-936-3477. A graveside interment of ashes will immediately follow at St. James Cemetery, Colgan, 2118 Adjala Tecumseth Townline. Online condolences and memories may be left for the family at www.RodAbramsFuneralHome.com.

 

As every flower fades and as all youth
Departs, so life at every stage,
So every virtue, so our grasp of truth,
Blooms in its day and may not last forever.
Since life may summon us at every age
Be ready, heart, for parting, new endeavor,
Be ready bravely and without remorse
To find new light that old ties cannot give.
In all beginnings dwells a magic force
For guarding us and helping us to live.
Serenely let us move to distant places
And let no sentiments of home detain us

~ Hermann Hesse

DIETER R.H. STADLER
Our beloved husband, father and Opa peacefully passed away at home on Wednesday June 17th . He is survived by his wife, Wendy, son Ralph and daughter, Petra Huels (Martin) and cherished grandchildren Michael Stadler and Niklas, Noah, Nina and Noelle Huels.

Dieter was born in Freiburg Germany and immigrated to Canada in 1965. He was always grateful for the opportunities Canada afforded him and truly loved his adopted country.
A lifelong sportsman and sports fan, Dieter’s first love was track and field. He excelled as a teenager in the 1500 and in cross country but tennis was not far behind in his sports world. He loved the game and especially loved coaching and developing junior players. He continued to play competitively until his 70s before finally giving up the game at age 80.

A later passion was reserved for a red and black 1965 Austin Healey which he lovingly restored in the early 90s. Once his grandsons were old enough to drive, they too took great delight in driving the Healey whenever they visited.

A private family graveside interment will take place at Schomberg Union Cemetery. If desired, donations may be made in Dieter’s memory to the Sick Kids Foundation or Covenant House.

Online condolences and memories may be left for the family at www.RodAbramsFuneralHome.com.

Andrews: Mitchell Benedict;

It is with profound sadness that the family announces the passing of Mitchell Benedict Andrews, who died as the result of a motor vehicle accident in Parry Sound, Ontario, at the age of 29.

He is lovingly remembered by his mother, Brenda Andrews (née Hackett), and his father, Christopher Andrews. He is also remembered by his brothers, Blake (Brittany) and Ryan (Devon). Mitchell will be forever cherished by his nephews, Rowan, Aedan, and Dylan. He is survived by his grandmother, Ruth, as well as his many aunts and uncles: Kathy (Mick), Jennifer (Mike), Rob, Ramona, Helen (Don), Jacqueline (Frank), Bennie, Maureen (Warrick), Glenn (Brenda) Stacy and Louise. Mitchell was blessed with many, many cousins who loved him dearly.

Mitchell is now reunited in heaven with his grandparents, Ben and Cedella Hackett, and Arthur Andrews, as well as his Aunt Geneva.

Mitchell will be remembered for his presence in the lives of his family and friends, and the memories shared will be held close in their hearts forever.

Family and friends are invited to Visitation held on Wednesday June 24, 2026 from 2-4pm and 6-8pm at Rod Abrams Funeral Home, 1666 Tottenham Rd., Tottenham. Funeral Mass will be held at St. James Catholic Church, 2118 Adjala Tecumseth Townline, Colgan, on Thursday, June 25, 2026 at 11am.

Following the church service, family and friends are invited to join in the Celebration of Mitchell’s life to be held at the Royal Canadian Legion – Beeton, 55 Tecumseth St N, Beeton, ON.

Donations in Mitchell’s memory may be made to the charity of your choice. Online condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.RodAbramsFuneralHome.com.

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Keith Allan MacIntosh on February 12, 2026, at Hyland Crest Long Term Care Centre, Minden, Ontario, in his 75th year. Loving father of Eric and Adam. Dear grandfather of Ayden, Ryan, and Ethan. Keith will be sadly missed by his sister, Erica. Predeceased by his brother, Ian MacIntosh. He will be forever in the hearts of his extended family and friends.
Arrangements entrusted to Rod Abrams Funeral Home. For those who wish, donations in Keith’s memory to Ontario SPCA and Humane Society would be appreciated as he loved his dogs.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday June 20, 2026 at the Tottenham Legion 25 Richmond St. E. Tottenham from 1:00pm – 4:00pm. Cremation has taken place. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Rod Abrams Funeral Home. Condolences and memories may be left for the family at www.RodAbramsFuneralHome.com.

Passed away at Lakeside Retirement Residence on June 10, 2026, at the age of 86, with her loving family by her side.

Reunited in Heaven with her beloved husband, Earle Breedon; her daughter, Christine Breedon; and her sister, Norene Butler.

Loving mother of Bruce (Julie) and Greg (Nichole). Dearly loved Grandma of Bradley, Brett (Rachel), Lexi, and Kyle. Loving great-grandmother of Brinley.

Fondly remembered by her sister, Dianne McCallum. She will be forever in the hearts of her many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Rod Abrams Funeral Home. Cremation has taken place. In accordance with Mom’s wishes, there will be no funeral service or formal celebration of life at this time.

Condolences and memories may be shared at www.RodAbramsFuneralHome.com.

Stephenson: Mary Lou (nee: Strugess);

Peacefully passed away at Stevenson Memorial Hospital, on June 11, 2026, Mary Lou Stephenson (née Sturgess), at the age of 78.

Reunited in Heaven with her beloved husband, Douglas Henry Stephenson.

Loving mother of Douglas (Wendy), Donald (Cari), and Cheryl. Dearly loved Grammy of Emily (Jonathan), Sarah, Roy (Tiffany), and Nanny to Jessica, Alex (Lily), Hannah, Riley (Emma), and Shane (Faith). Mary Lou will be missed by her great-grandchildren, Grayson, Scarlett, and Everleigh.

Fondly remembered by her sisters, Debbie (Dereck) Osbourne and Suzanne (Cornelius). Predeceased by her brother Gordon (Beth) and her sisters Marilyn (Frank) and Rose. She will be forever in the hearts of her many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Rod Abrams Funeral Home. Cremation has taken place.

Condolences and memories may be shared at www.RodAbramsFuneralHome.com.

Inta Perro passed into the afterlife peacefully on the evening of May 23 at Stevenson Memorial Hospital. Predeceased by her husband Oskars, daughter Sandra and her brother Talis, she will be greatly missed by her son Arvils, son in law Joseph, grandchildren Alexander, Antonia (Paul), Arianna (Fouad), Aldus (Laura) and her delightful great-grandson Edgar.

A private ceremony will be held at the family gravesite at a future date where her and her husband’s ashes will be interred.

A brief review of her life was entrusted to her son despite her being aware of his irreverence and sometimes questionable humour. It unfolds as follows:

My Mother was born almost exactly a century ago in the small European country of Latvia. Europe at the time was uneasily balancing itself between what were to become the two greatest conflicts in world history. Her early childhood was a happy one but before she reached adulthood, Latvia had already been overtaken by hostile powers three times. The winds of war finally swept her and her family up and blew them Westward, barely ahead of a rampaging Red Army. She recalled at one point seeing Berlin in flames as the endless refugee streams passed by the ruins.

Their flight eventually came to and end in the Northern German city of Lubeck which was then occupied by the British Second Army. Things slowly settled down and in due time she was hired on by the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) as a translator. She had a strong command of three languages. Ironically English was not one of them. Through her new job and the access it gave her to special stores, she was able to help feed her family. It was a chaotic time when getting food to eat was a major accomplishment. To obtain a bottle of liquor was a total victory. Though the conditions were harsh, she mentioned many times later that these were some of the best times of her life.

Her family eventually relocated to permanent living quarters in Mannheim where her parents were to see their days out. At about this time her father, a world wise cavalry officer, noticed that his daughter was becoming all too comfortable with life. As fate would have it his sister, also a refugee had ended up in far away Canada, specifically Toronto where a vibrant Latvian emigre was coming into existence. I never did learn how much say my mother had in the matter but in early 1952 she boarded a ship in Bremerhaven Germany and set sail for Halifax.

It didn’t take long for her to enter into the Toronto Latvian community and begin to make new friends. But a charming rogue of the day noticed that too and snatched her up before the competition would become too fierce. In February 1953 they said their vows. The busybodies of the day were laying strong odds on the union not lasting out a year but in 2003 they celebrated having been together for fifty years.

She settled down to lead the life of a mother and housewife for the next decade. But her energy was not to be denied. When the youngest of her two children, an adorable and exceptionally well behaved little boy finally started school she was free to leave the house and enter into the working world. She was hired on by the Royal Bank of Canada at the Yonge and Grenville branch where a disproportionate number of celebrities and other characters of the day did their banking. She was never at a loss for stories to pass on.

But life was still evolving. In 1969 the family relocated to a property near the tiny community of Tottenham (pop 801). She was fortunate in being able to transfer to the Royal Bank branch on the corner of the main street. There she was to meet the local characters who were every bit as large in life as the ones in Toronto. For those who can remember, life in Ontario in the 1970’s was like being caught in a wonderful dream. The farm life agreed with my mother as she loved gardening, flowers and raising all sorts of animals. Her two most noticeable ventures were establishing a herd of Belted Galloway cattle and probably setting a world record for acquiring and the feeding of feral cats.

She finally retired from the bank in 1986 and then travelled annually to Germany to visit with her aging mother. From there she went on to see the whole continent. When Latvia regained its independence in 1991, she made many trips there to visit relatives and childhood friends, none seen since the war.

After her mother passed the travelling slowed down. But she remained ever active on the farm. There was no choice. A sick calf needs attention. Cattle need to be fed, flowers watered and the fireplace stoked. She cared for own needs, drove where and when she had to and was free from physical complaints right up until the very, very end. She truly lived life on her terms.

My reason for the length of this chronicle was to emphasize that her life was one to be celebrated not mourned. I can be sad. She was my mother. But those are only my selfish emotions. For those who cared and remembered her fondly, please understand that all she would have liked is to bring a smile to your face. Always a smile.

Thank you.

Online condolences and memories may be left for the family at www.RodAbramsFuneralHome.com. Arrangements entrusted to Rod Abrams Funeral Home, Tottenham.

Born: Walter Henry,

April 1, 1927 – May 30, 2026

Peacefully, at Golden Links Lodge in Winnipeg, MB, Walter, in his 100th year, went to meet his Lord.   He was pre-deceased by his beloved wife, Phyllis (nee Watt) of 68 years in 2016.  He is survived by his children, Pamela Born-Scanlon, Grant (Patricia), Diane (Stephen), Mark (Miranda), five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Walter was born in Myrtle MB, the youngest and last surviving of 15 siblings to parents Wilhelm W. and Agatha (Peters) Born.   He spent a 30-year career at Canada Post in Winnipeg, retiring in 1985. Walter was amazed that he had spent more years retired from than working at the post office.  In retirement, Walter and Phyllis traveled and spent winters in Arizona and Florida.   In 1998, they moved to Tottenham, ON and very much enjoyed living in the retirement community of Tecumseth Pines.   When Phyllis passed away, Walter returned to Winnipeg and resided at Lindenwood Manor.  There he spent his last years along with his nephew and best friend, Albert Karlenzig, playing pool every day with the guys and spending time with his friend, Liz.

Throughout his life, Walter enjoyed being able to fix and maintain almost anything.  He had an inquisitive mind and was always trying new hobbies.  His family and friends are the proud recipients of his many wooden bowls and oil paintings.

We would like give a special thank you to the the staff at Golden Links Lodge and Lindenwood Manor for their care and compassion.

Cremation has taken place and Walter will be reunited with Phyllis at Fraser Presbyterian Cemetery in Tottenham. If desired, donations in Walter’s memory may be made to  The Salvation Army.

Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.RodAbramsFuneralHome.com.

Clarke: Wayne Forbes,

Suddenly at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre Barrie, on May 30, 2026. Wayne Clarke at the age of 78 years, beloved husband of the late Elizabeth Ross Clarke (nee: Leda). Loving father of Jody Clarke, Michael Clarke (Jaki), Kevin Clarke (Sandra), and stepson Lance (Lindsey) Sadly missed by his grandchildren Mia, Easton, Avery, Charlotte, Madison, Ally, Bowen, Trent, Kristian, Nathan, Logan and Quinn. Dear brother of Vina Turnbull (Ron) and Foster Clarke (Penny). Forever in the hearts of his closest friends Dave Gilbert (Kim) and Junior Martin (Mary). Fondly remembered by his nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends.

Cremation has taken place. Wayne will be laid to rest in the Our Lady of Fatima Mausoleum in Assumption Cemetery next to his beloved wife Liz. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.RodAbramsFuneralHome.com.

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Douglas Melbourne “Doug” Nightingale, who passed away peacefully on February 12, 2026, at Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston, Ontario, in his 79th year.
Doug was the beloved husband of Betty Nightingale (née Reynolds). He was a loving and devoted father to Valerie (Peter) Kuchma, Dale, and the late Belinda and the late Christopher Nightingale.
He was a proud and cherished grandfather to Jimmy (Christina), Sabastian (Amelia), Sarah, Katie, and James, and a loving great-grandfather to Delilah, Dominic, Hudson, Tristan, and Brenda.
Doug will also be lovingly remembered by his cherished companion, Buddy the dog, who brought him much joy and comfort. He will be forever in the hearts of his extended family and friends.
Arrangements entrusted to Rod Abrams Funeral Home. Cremation has taken place. The family will receive friends at Bond Head United Church, 4221 Simcoe County Rd 88, Bond Head, ON L3Z 3K4, on Saturday June 6, 2026, from 10am until time of Memorial Service at 11:00am. Luncheon to follow. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.RodAbramsFuneralHome.com.