Christine Kinkel

Christine Kinkel, 98 of Seymour entered peacefully into eternal rest on Saturday November 4, 2017 at Shady Knoll Health Center in Seymour. Born in Sekitsch Yugoslavia, a rural ethnic German village, on August 3rd, 1919. Her father, Philip Howe, was a dry goods merchant and shop owner. He remarried shortly after Christine's mom died when Christine was only six years old. Christine's sister was born soon thereafter. Christine bonded so well with her new stepmother and their love for each other lasted a life time. She was lovingly raised by her stepmother and taught all the essentials of homemaking. Christine and her sister had a happy childhood together. Christine completed her primary education in her village and both sisters chose to work in their father's dry goods establishment throughout their formative years. Christine was 18 years old when she married, David Kinkel, a well to do landowner and farmer in her village. She gave birth to three sons. During the waning days of WW II Christine with her 3 toddler sons and along with many of her relatives had to flee their homeland to escape the horrible atrocities being inflicted onto the ethnic civilian population by the advancing communist partisans. After a horrific dangerous journey through war torn Europe they found refuge in Southern Germany. However the indigenous people treated them as refugees and second class citizens throughout their entire time. This lead Christine to consider immigrating to America. It was indeed a very bold and courageous act by Christine and her husband to undertake. In November 1955 her family of six after a 10 day ocean voyage arrived in NYC harbor to seek a better life for themselves. Her family lived in various areas of Brooklyn and Queens where many of her relatives and acquaintances also lived. She and her husband for many years worked very hard in Knitting Mills to save up to buy their home. This property had a very large garden which Christine with her gifted gardening skills turned into a showplace that garnered her much praise and adoration. Her husband was itching to buy property in the Oxford, CT area for the purpose of building their own custom home. In this area they were also closer to her mother and sister living in Shelton and her son and his family in Huntington. Due to her husband's failing health and after many wonderful years living in their Oxford home they had to relocate to a warmer climate to Orlando, Fl. Here they lived for many years until Christine's husband passed away. Soon she longed for her loved ones again and thus relocated again to CT. For many years Christine lived in her own walk-up apartment in Seymour until she was unable to climb her stairs. At age 96 she was accepted and relocated to Smithfield Gardens an Assisted Living Facility in Seymour. Health complications set in and she had to be hospitalized a number of times. Upon her last release from the hospital she was admitted to Shady Knoll for rehabilitation services. Initially she was making good progress but soon she became weaker and weaker. Her family had agonized over having to admit her as a long term care patient in Shady Knoll. Christine was a devoted and faithful wife to her husband for over 50 years, always totally committed to the well being of her four children, lovingly rearing them and instilling in them strong family and moral values. She was an excellent cook and baker in Yugoslavian and German cuisine. A passionate lover of nature and the out of doors and very gifted in gardening. Christine had many upcircles and tragic events in her life that constantly tested her faith in God and in mankind. Astonishingly, she maintained a resilience and resolve that allowed her to overcome all her hurdles with remarkable poise and grace. Christine was predeceased by her youngest son Walter, her only daughter Margie Bhar, her husband David, her mother Teresia Howe (age 102),and her sister Teresia Waite. Christine leaves behind: Her son Erwin Kinkel and his wife Marian, her son Werner Kinkel and his wife Clara, her loving granddaughters Julie Cochrane and Kristin Kinkel, her most precious great-granddaughter Violet Kinkel, her nephew's sons Rick Kinkel and wife Suzanne and Peter Kinkel with his three sons Ian, Brett and Jesse, along with many relatives, acquaintances and friends in USA and Germany. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday November 15, 2017 in Spadaccino and Leo P. Gallagher & Son Community Funeral Home 315 Monroe Turnpike Monroe, CT 06468, 203-445-8500 Visitation: 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm Service: 7:00 pm.