Walter Schoch

At the age of 93, or as he often liked to say, "100," Walter Schoch leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter, resilience, and family. While he will be deeply missed by those he leaves behind, we take comfort knowing that Bea is waiting for him, ready to tell him to "start the car" so they can head off on their next adventure together.

Walter was born on January 1, 1933, in Forbach, Germany. As the eldest of his siblings, he grew up during the challenges of World War II and often took on the responsibility of keeping his family safe, fed, and entertained with bedtime stories while the world around them was in chaos.

He would often remind his grandchildren, when they complained about school and homework, that his own school had been bombed during the war. Always finding humour in difficult situations, he would joke that this was "one good thing about the war." Despite those hardships, Walter encouraged them of the importance of education, hard work, and making your mark on the world.

As a teenager, he excelled at handball and loved attending local dances, where, according to him, the odds were always in his favour, often twenty girls to every one boy. Those, he said, were very good times!

At the age of 18, Walter bravely crossed the Atlantic Ocean to immigrate to Canada, arriving at Pier 21 in Halifax. He had been told that with his papermill experience, he would be guaranteed a job and wouldn't need to speak English. As it turned out, reality was a little different, but Walter was never one to be discouraged.

He arrived with his best friend and spent his first years in bush camps. Together, they managed to take down a power line on their first day, attempted to befriend a skunk, and, only months later, Walter was knocked unconscious for weeks after being struck by a falling tree. After that experience, he wisely decided he was much better suited to being the camp cook.

Eventually, Walter settled in Kapuskasing, where he worked at the papermill and met the love of his life, Beatrice. The story goes that he was sitting outside playing his accordion when Bea first noticed him. Between his outgoing personality, good looks, and charming German accent, she was quickly won over.

Walter and Beatrice married in January 1957 and shared 68 wonderful years together. Dad often joked that they had done a pretty good job populating the world.

Family was everything to Walter. He taught us to be kind, understanding, forgiving, and loyal. The strong, loving family we are today is a direct reflection of the values he lived every day. He taught us that family always comes first and that we must always look out for one another.

Although Canada became his home, Walter never forgot the Black Forest and the country that shaped him. He shared his love of Germany through stories, music, traditions, and a deep appreciation of his heritage. Because of him, our connection to our roots remains stronger than ever.

Walter will be fondly remembered by his family in Germany, especially Rolf and (the late Elke), Stefan and Nicola (Hannes and Luis), and Esther and Christian (Paul and Theo). Whenever you're on the lake, know that a part of him will always be there with you.

We will forever miss Dad's zest for life, his love of gardening, fishing, his endless stories, his warm hugs, and his constant support. The sound of his accordion and harmonica brought joy to so many and will remain a treasured memory. He never lost his unmistakable German accent, which was as much a part of him as his generous spirit. We will miss teasing him, mimicking his reactions, and sharing laughter over his passionate outbursts. He took a sincere interest in everyone's life and always hoped for the very best for those around him. Now he can rest in peace, comforted by the knowledge that everyone he loved will be okay.

Walter is now reunited with Beatrice and, no doubt, has already found a new fishing hole with Walt to enjoy. He leaves behind Rene Schoch (Lorraine), Karolina "Kina" Dick (Mark), Michael "Mikey" Schoch (Christine), and Kristine Schoch ("Popeye").

He was a proud and beloved Opa of Philip Schoch, Erin Chiblow, Kristofer Schoch (Lauren), Patrick Schoch (Cally), Karilyn Choquette (Jeremy), Katrina McDonough, Damien Belanger, Rachael Mura (Bob), Adam Schoch (Emma), Beata Richards, Alston Richards, and Rhen Richards.

The Schoch legacy continues through his cherished great-grandchildren: Javier, Keelie, Ryder, Brielle, Anika, Ollie, Kailyn, Stryth, LilyBell, Kayla Mae, Riley, Quinn, Madelynn, and one more surprise bundle of joy on the way!

Walter was the beloved brother of Trudy Tully (Russ) and the late Arnold Schoch (the late Velma). He was also a dear brother-in-law of Roger Lincez (Barb), Claire Hurst (the late Harvey), and Edgar Lincez, affectionately known as "Uncle Ed."

He will be fondly remembered by many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and close friends, all of whom enjoyed his warm welcome, wonderful stories, and famous plum wine.

The family extends their sincere gratitude to the dedicated staff at Twin Lakes and to everyone who cared for Dad at Extendicare Maple View. Your kindness, compassion, and support meant more than words can express.

A private burial ceremony will be held this week. A Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Neebish (AKA Camp!). Friends and family are invited to join us at one of Dad's favourite places to share memories, stories (Catching the big fish!), laughter, and friendship. In lieu of donations, Dad would love for you to reach out to someone you have not talked to and keep those stories alive. We hope you will be able to celebrate his remarkable life with us.

"A life is not measured by the years we live, but by the lives we touch and the connections we leave behind."