Erika Bastel

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved wife, mother and Oma, Erika Bastel (nee Parzen), who died peacefully after a long struggle with Parkinson’s Disease on August 9, 2024, in her 82nd year.

Erika was born on February 15, 1943 to Paul and Margarete Parzen in Bacsalmas, Hungary and grew up in the village of Dorndorf, near the city of Ulm in southern Germany. She never knew her father who was killed during World War II. In her early years she was the only child living among a family of grown-up refugees.

In 1956, together with her mother and grandmother, she immigrated to Canada, joining her sister Marzella and her brother Josef who had immigrated earlier.

In Hamilton, she obtained her grade 12 diploma, apprenticed as a hairdresser and obtained her Certificate of Qualification as a hairdressing instructor.

Shortly after arriving in Hamilton, she became a founding parishioner at St. Boniface Roman Catholic Church. There she met her future husband, Hans. It was love at first sight. They were married in 1965, after a 7-year courtship. Longer than usual as Erika supported Hans’ decision to quit his job at International Harvester to attend full-time university studies.

Erika used her many talents to make her corner of the world a better place. As a young girl in Dorndorf, she volunteered in the parish library. Throughout her adult life, she edited or co-edited newsletters at St. Boniface Church, the Germania Club of Hamilton, and the Villages of Glancaster. She joined a theatre group, a gymnastic club, the VOG bowling league, and a church choir. She was a member of the Board of Directors at the Germania Club. She loved to do crossword puzzles as well as playing cards with family and friends.

Erika had many hobbies such as knitting, embroidering, cottaging at Lake Erie, and travelling to distant places such as the Canadian Rockies, Germany, Hungary, Prince Edward Island, Cuba, and the Italian Alps; always with family and friends in tow or making new friends. Once a friend of Erika, you were a friend for life!

An excellent cook and baker, the grandchildren always requesting “Oma Cookies” for their birthdays, and others requesting her amazing Black Forest torte or Bienenstich cake.

Erika is survived by her husband Hans, daughter Christine and son-in-law Alex, son Paul and daughter-in-law Angela, son Andre, grandchildren Ryan, Sofie, Daniel and Lauren, her brother Joe and sister-in-law Brigitte, her sister-in-law Beate Trautmann (Wolfgang), and a wealth of nephews and nieces.

Many thanks to the wonderful staff, nurses and personal support workers at the St. Peter’s Residence at Chedoke in Hamilton for the kind and dedicated care of Erika.

The family would also like to thank Erika’s many relatives, friends, and Villages of Glancaster neighbours, who provided their support, company and kindness.

The funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, October 5, 2024 at St. Catherine of Siena Church, 620 Rymal Rd. E. in Hamilton. An interment of ashes will take place at the Resurrection Cemetery, 254 Garner Rd. W., Ancaster. Arrangements are entrusted with Marlatt Funeral Home, 615 Main St. E., Hamilton.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to St. Peter’s Residence at Chedoke or the St. Catherine of Siena Parish.