Stefanie Mayer

1928 – 2026

Stefanie Mayer passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at the age of 98. A devoted mother, wife and friend, she leaves behind a legacy of strength, kindness and love.

Stefanie was born in 1928 in Linz, Austria. After meeting her beloved Otto, she came to America with him in 1950, hoping for a brighter future. They settled in Florida, where Stefanie was the driving force behind the family motel. She worked tirelessly and made whatever sacrifices it took to give her family a better life. Together, she and Otto built the American Dream they had once only imagined.

Above all, Stefanie was a loving mother to her two sons, Peter and Arno. Peter was the shining light of the family. He was bright, an avid surfer and skateboarder, and he taught his younger brother both, which became Arno's lifelong passions. In September 1980, the family suffered an unimaginable loss when Peter passed away. Stefanie carried that grief for the rest of her life, but she never let it harden her heart.

Peter's death changed Arno completely. Having seen the pain the loss caused his parents, he set out to make them as proud as he possibly could. That promise shaped the man he became, both

personally and professionally, and it became one of the quiet gifts of Stefanie's life: a son whose love for his family guided everything he did.

Stefanie was gentle and compassionate, and her warmth touched everyone who knew her. She had a special love for animals and adopted her cats Boobie and Mousie. In the last eight years

of her life she finally had the dog she never had, Gucci, who gave her endless love and companionship. She also adored the nine other cats and two other dogs who share the family

home. It is truly a house of adopted animal love, and she was at the heart of it.

She also loved to travel and see the world that a lifetime of hard work had opened to her.

For the last eight years, Arno and his wife, Rachel, lovingly cared for Stefanie. Their devotion meant she spent her final years surrounded by family, comfort and love.

Stefanie was preceded in death by her son Peter in 1980 and her husband, Otto, in 2014. She is survived by her son Arno and her daughter-in-law Rachel, along with the family and friends

whose lives she enriched over nearly a century.

Her life showed the power of hard work, devotion to family and a gentle heart. She will be deeply missed, and her love lives on in everyone who knew her.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to

Give Hope Cat Rescue / Community Cats of Boca Raton.

A Committal Service will take place at Kraeer Funeral Home @ Forest Lawn Funeral Home, 200 West Copans Road, Pompano Beach, FL 33064, US.