In the early morning of April 7, 2021 our father Alfred Guggi walked, no ran, through that doorway and on to a new adventure.
Alfred was born September 20, 1931 in Maria Lankowitz, Austria. Growing up in the ravages of World War 2 was tough and at the early age of 14 he left home to embark on a millwright apprenticeship in the city of Graz.
On October 7, 1951 as part of the World War 2 displaced persons program in Europe, he embarked on the M.S Anna Salen to start a new life in Canada. As fate would have it he met his future bride to be, Hilde Muller (deceased 2013), on that voyage and they married and settled in Victoria, British Columbia where he worked as a mechanic for BC Ferries. With the first addition of the family pending, Alfred and Hilde moved to St. Catharines, Ont. to be closer to family who had settled there. He was a long-serving millwright at GM Canada.
Alfred was a quiet and stoic man. There were however times when a different persona would emerge, most notably as author and narrator of the Flying Mop Ghost stories. At family gatherings he would often have his children and the cousins circle around and listen with rapt attention to how the ghostly world worked. FRIGHTENED they would shriek with surprise when the Mop would emerge in midair dangling from the stairwell, only to beg for more stories before the night’s end.
Alfred loved the colour green. His only car ever, "George" was green. His clothes were green. His hats were green and it made sense because he was a lover of nature, the trees, the mountains and the sing song chirps of the birds.
In his spare time he restored century homes on Queen Street and he became known as the King of Queen. His favourite project however was the restoration of his ancestral Austrian farm home with his beloved nephew Wolferl. That restoration took place over several years with the intent that he move back to his beloved Austria. Sadly that was not to be.
Alfred leaves behind his three girls: Ros (Ken), Anita (Deane) and Heidemarie (Simon); his grandchildren Daniel, Cameron, Gaelan and Katie; his step grandchildren Thomas and Malcolm and many nieces and nephews both in Canada and Austria. He was predeceased by eight siblings and leaves behind a sister, Juliana and a brother, Eduard in Austria and a brother, Adolf in Sweden.
The family is grateful for the care and compassion Alfred received during his years at Henley House.
Cremation has taken place and private memorials will happen in both Canada and Austria when Covid leaves us and we can travel again. We ask that those who wish to honour Alfred’s life plant a tree in his memory.
Fly free Dad!
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