Horst A F Nowrath

It is with great sadness that we announce that Horst, our much-loved father, husband, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, and uncle, passed away peacefully with family at his side. Born in Breslau, Germany (now Wraclaw), he was the oldest of two children. After WWII he studied and worked as a watchmaker. He immigrated to Canada in 1953 with his beloved wife Oda on the “Anna Salen” and they travelled by train across Canada to their new life in Duncan, British Columbia. From the outset, Horst was determined to make the best life for his family. His first job in Duncan was with Stenmark Jewellers, and by 1956 he and Oda opened Nowrath Jewellers on Kenneth Street, and then moved to Station Street, and eventually to the Duncan Mall. Horst was a well-respected businessman and was active in the community throughout his life. He was a member of the Duncan Jaycees where he served as President. He was a Rotarian with the Duncan Rotary Club since 1967. He served as President from 1973-1974 and was a Paul Harris Fellow. His involvement in Rotary played a large role in his life. He rarely missed a meeting wherever he happened to be on his travels. He was also Chair of Cowichan Valley Crime Stoppers and belonged to the Probus Club of Duncan. Horst was very much a family-oriented man and revelled in the outdoors. He got his kids into skiing, hiking, camping, canoeing, and swimming. He especially loved spending holidays with family and friends on his treasured West Coast. He enjoyed many exploratory road trips with Oda to isolated corners of BC and travelled widely overseas. You could not meet a more friendly, outgoing person. He had many friends, and always had the time of day for them. He loved his “breakfast meetings” with friends, and during his retirement he became a regular at the Duncan Garage most mornings with a group of buddies. Horst was well known for striking up conversations with strangers. He was an excellent storyteller and took great joy in the telling. Horst was definitely a glass half full kind of guy. He was a problem solver and had an inspirational positive attitude. Most importantly, he practiced gratitude all his life, and often said he was a very lucky man and had a good life. He loved the song “What a Wonderful World”. He will be so dearly missed. Horst is predeceased by wife Oda, daughter Cordula, grandson Aren and great grandson Jem. He will be deeply missed by children Gwen (Philip) and Bernard (Wendy), grandchildren Alisha, Daniel, Kai, Svea and Heidi, and great grandchildren Taman, Noam, Maeve and Kian, his sister Heidi, his god daughter Ingeborg, and his many nieces and nephews. The family would like to express sincere gratitude to Dr Bass, and Michele, his good friend and caregiver in recent years, for their care and kindness. A Celebration of Life to be held at First Memorial on November 13 at 1:00 PM, 375 Brae Rd, Duncan B.C. Due to COVID restrictions there may be a limited capacity. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Cowichan District Hospital Foundation. 250 701 0399 or cdhfoundation.ca or 101-5822 Garden St. Duncan B.C. V9L3V9 Online condolences may be left at www.mem.com