Eric Georg Zoebelein

Eric passed away peacefully at home on Monday, June 13, 2022 at 1:17 pm. He left us to join his beloved wife Helen on her birthday. Eric will be sadly missed by his brother Frank and his sister in law Camilia, his nieces and nephews; Karin, Mark, Tanya, Derek and Tova Drechsel. Eric will be missed by his cousins in Germany, Katchen, Gretta and Heiner, Reiner Thiesen and Hanna Engelhardt.

Eric was born in Pretzfeld, Germany on January 30, 1934 to Margaret and Hans Zoebelein, He grew up with his brothers Robert and Frank and helped with the family carpentry business. He played clarinet in the school band and was a tenor in the Pretzfeld church choir before attending high school in Forcheim, where he became interested in electronics. Eric loved music and sports, he played soccer for years and later took up tennis, skiing and sailing, he also played the harmonica, accordion and piano.

As a young man with so many interests he wanted to become an academic, but after WW11 his father convinced him to enter a trade to further himself in the family business of cabinet making, which he excelled in. His father encouraged Eric to leave Germany for brighter pastures and after Eric researched globally he found Canada to be the ideal country to immigrate to. And so in 1956 Eric arrived in Toronto, Canada.

His first job was working on Bay Street as a cabinet maker, installing doors in newly constructed buildings. Later, in 1958 to 1961, Eric and fellow German, Fred Salb ran a bungalow building company in then booming North York, and in 1962 he joined his brothers, Robert and Frank, with cousin Fred Dreschel, making flower pots and planters at their new factory in Weston. That same year he was asked to join in the design and production of a line of residential furniture, namely wall hung shelving and a room divider system called Reff Elements. Eric’s cousin Fred Dreschel was also asked to join and along with Eric’s brothers they all became equal partners in Reff Elements. Eric and the company became a powerhouse in the design and production of the highest in quality and durability in office furniture in North America.

Eric had an immense love of learning, enjoyed reading and on most weekends could be found piloting his glider.

Eric was a charitable man and very generous with his time to friends and family.

He will be so dearly missed!

A Memorial Service for Eric will be held Wednesday, June 29, 2022 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Thompson Funeral Home, 530 Industrial Parkway South, Aurora, ON L4G6W8. A reception to follow

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ThompsonFH-Aurora.com for the Zoebelein family.