KLAUS (FRED) FRITZ WILHELM BIRKMANN
1935-2020
Fred passed away peacefully at home on Friday, July 24th 2020, surrounded by his wife and children after a brave fight with cancer. He will be forever loved and missed by his loving wife and soul mate, Shirley Ann Birkmann (Walker), his children Teresa (Paul Kuntz), Karen, and Derrick (Sarah Pope); as well as his grandchildren, Kali Kreller of Scotland, Brett Lawrance and Milana Kerekes. He will be fondly remembered as a One In A Million husband, father and Grandfather; a man of great strength to whom family meant everything and who was everything to his family. Born in Osnabrück, Germany, son of Karl Birkmann and Hildegard Katarina Henschen, Fred immigrated to Canada in 1952. He was later joined by his sister, Ingrid Vollmer (Hermann), brother Dieter (Dick), and his mother Hildegard and youngest brother Peter. Fred worked as a Tool and Die maker at Little Lakes Tool and Die before joining the faculty of the University of Waterloo Mechanical Engineering Department in 1964, Fred was also a fulltime beef and cash crop farmer from 1963 until his retirement. Fred is survived by his sister, Ingrid Vollmer, brother Peter Birkmann (Linda), Barbara (Heinz) Vogel and family, Trish Bentley (Glen) and family, Mark Birkmann, Aaron Moses and family, Bärbel and Bolko Reichl-Schubert of Germany, Hans, Silvia and Gisela Hermeling of San Francisco. Predeceased by his father, Karl (1967), his mother, Hildegard (1982) step-father, Otto Gaertner (1990), brother-in-law, Hermann Vollmer (2001), brother Dick (2012), son Sven Krause (2005), niece Susan (2020). Visitation at the W. G. Young Funeral Home, 430 Huron Street, Stratford on Tuesday July 28th from 6:00 – 8:00 pm (masks required as well as social distancing while on funeral home property) where a private family service will be held on Wednesday with interment in St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy can be made to St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church through the funeral home. 519.271.7411. www.wgyoungfuneralhome.com
Directions from the GTA- Travel westbound on the 401 to Exit 278 Hwy 7 & 8 west towards Stratford. Merge onto Hwy 8 westbound in Stratford. Continue west bound (Huron Street). The W. G. Young Funeral Home is on your right located at 430 Huron Street.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Fred Klaus Birkmann 2020..
Death notice for the town of: Stratford, Province: Ontario