Gertrud Schulze

It is with sadness and love that we announce the passing of Gertrud Schulze, age 90, of Guelph, Ontario. Gertrud passed away peacefully, with family by her side, on February 9, 2026 at the St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Guelph.

Gertrud was born on June 8, 1935 in Berlin, Germany to Emma and George Richter. Gertrud had a deep love for her older sister, Irmchen and her adoring brother, Theodore.

As a child during World War II, Gertrud lived in a refugee camp divided between German civilians and Russian soldiers - an arrangement filled with fear, hunger, and uncertainty. Despite the dangers, and against her mother’s wishes, she once crossed into the Russian camp carrying an empty metal butter tin, hoping to find food for her family. Soldiers were feared, especially by women and girls, and her mother took every precaution to protect her. Yet in a moment of extraordinary courage and innocence, she asked for help. One soldier lifted her onto his lap, joked darkly about Hitler, and instead of harm, showed unexpected kindness by filling her container with bacon. She returned home with several pounds of food, a small but unforgettable victory of survival and humanity amid the horrors of war. Gertrud was ten years old when the war came to an end. Her father and brother returned home alive and she had many fond memories of the later years of her childhood.

As a teenager, Gertrud lived across the street from Post Stadium, an outdoor public pool in Berlin that charged a quarter per swim. It would be at this pool, sporting her green, knit bikini, that she would meet her “schnukahle” (sweetie-pie), Herbert Schulze. Gertrud married Herbert in April of 1954 and the pair crossed the ocean to build their life in Canada. Together they shared over 71 years of marriage, three daughters, ten grandchildren, over a dozen great-grandchildren and a beautiful home, in the countryside north of Guelph, on Marden Road.

Gertrud lived her life in constant motion for others. Caring for people was not something she did but who she was. Whether as a wife, mom, caregiver, cleaner, helper, or simply “Oma”, she gave her time and energy freely to her family, her friends, and even to strangers who never remained strangers for long.

She adored her three daughters and delighted in each of her grandchildren, always finding small, quiet ways to show her love. Whether it was dropping off an encouraging card “just because”, arriving with a thoughtful gift or homemade treat, inviting friends over for coffee and cake, volunteering as a chaperone for a school field trip, setting up her lawn chair at a family member’s sporting event (rain or shine), or slipping a twenty-dollar bill into a grandchild’s pocket with a conspiratorial whisper of “Don’t tell Opa!”, her love was constant and unmistakable.

Her kitchen was an extension of her heart, and she filled it with the comfort of her traditional German cooking: schnitzel, goulash, falschen hase, rouladen, dumplings, rotkohl, streusel, cookies, cakes and all things potato (potato soup, potato salad and potato pancakes!). These meals were not made for praise, but simply so others could enjoy them. Her daughters lovingly carry on these treasured recipes, keeping the Oma traditions alive as they themselves have become Omas.

At the centre of Gertrud’s devotion was her husband, whom she doted on daily, even giving him nightly massages using her feet as he would drape himself over the ottoman in their living room - an act both loving and unmistakably Oma. Their love story was never short on spice, and the two truly enjoyed a good, heated argument. Herbert loved to tease her, and you could often hear Gertrud yelling, “Mensch, nee, Herbert!” from somewhere in the house.

Everything Gertrud did, from the smallest gesture to the greatest sacrifice, was done for the happiness and wellbeing of those she loved. She gave so much of herself that being with her always felt like being cared for.

Gertrud was kind, funny, vibrant, glamourous, adventurous and youthful. She loved to swim, camp, ski, golf, play tennis, travel the world, watch soccer and dance late into the night at the German Canadian Club in Guelph. She was a social butterfly who loved connecting with others (especially in the pool in Florida). She was a thrill seeker who loved rollercoasters and amusement parks and even went bungee jumping just before she turned 80. She loved holidays and made every Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter and birthday special. She appreciated a glass of sparkling wine and/or a stiff nightcap and you would never catch her leaving the house without perfume, a dazzling pair of earrings and her lipstick. But more than anything, our Oma loved a beach day.

A Schulze Family Beach Day is not your average beach day. You don’t simply stop by the beach for an hour or two but rather go with the intention that you may never leave. When the Schulze’s went to the beach, it looked like we were moving in. Oma was the coordinator and her car would be packed to the brim with beach day essentials: coolers filled with a month’s worth of beverages, breaded chicken drumsticks, potato salad, macaroni salad and every snack you could imagine. Then she had all the non-refrigerated items ready to go: ring toss, tablecloths, table weights, centrepieces, balloons, flowers and other decorations (yes, she would decorate the beach). Oma proudly sported multiple bikinis over the course of one beach day and rarely bothered with sunscreen. She always found the perfect spot for the family to set up tables, beach chairs, umbrellas, towels, blankets and a clothes line. She was the undisputed queen of the underwater handstand, eagerly challenging her children and grandchildren to try to outdo her. On one memorable day, she stayed underwater for so long that she lost her dentures in one of the Great Lakes. What followed was a family-wide search through the vast water for Oma’s teeth which was both unsuccessful and unforgettable. The teeth were never found. Oma went home toothless that day and the rest of us went home with one of our favourite family stories.

Oma was the centre of our family - the glue that held us all together. She felt permanent, like someone who would always be there. It feels impossible to understand a world without her.

Gertrud was preceded in death by her husband (Herbert) just a few short months ago, her parents (Emma and George), her siblings (Irmchen and Theodore) and her grandson (“Connor boy”).

Gertrud is survived by her three devoted daughters Angelika Light (David), Ramona Gliege (Randy) and Kim “Kimmi” Pottruff (Kevin). Oma will be deeply missed by her grandchildren Stephanie Davies (Brian), Alex Light (Sarah), Adam Light, Jacob Gliege (Amy), Natalie Hickerson (Nathan), Daniel Pottruff (Aja), Emma “Emmale” Tittonel (Robert), Angela Patchell (David) and Jesse Pottruff (Jessica) and her great-grandchildren Matthias, Jamie, Caleb, Kaiden, Hannah, Thomas, Oliver, Gemma, Max, Matilda, Frederick, William and Aoife. Gertrud will also be missed by her nieces and nephews in Germany (Simona and Micha Hurtig, Kurtchen and Sabine Pfingst, Gabi and Henry Schubert, and Volker Schubert).

Please join us to celebrate Gertrud on Saturday March 7, 2026 at Gilbert MacIntyre & Son Hart Chapel located at 1099 Gordon Street in Guelph. Visitation will take place from 1:00pm to 2:00pm and a Celebration of Life will follow at 2:00pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the St. Joseph’s Health Centre Foundation or the Alzheimer Society of Canada in memory of Gertrud Schulze.

The family wishes to thank the excellent, compassionate care team at the St. Joseph’s Health Centre. A special thank you to Dr. David Hood and Dr. Benjamin Dean for their care over the years.

Our Mama and Oma will be deeply missed and forever remembered. Her spirit is deeply woven into the fabric of our family and her laugh, energy and selfless heart live on in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.