Friedhelm Bode

He was born in 1935 in Vollersode, Germany. Like many children growing up during that time, his childhood was disrupted by the war. He later attended Muenster University and graduated with a business degree. It was also during this time that fate introduced him to Irmgard, whom he married in 1962 before starting a family. After graduating from university, Friedhelm and Irmgard settled in Bremen-Nord. Friedhelm began his career at Bremer Vulkan, a historic German shipbuilding company, where he worked for many years. In the early 1980s, an opportunity came to work for the private holding company Thyssen Bornemisza Group in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. Friedhelm commuted from Bremen to Amsterdam for many years. As he moved up through the company ranks, he was offered the role of CFO in the company’s New York office in August 1985. At that time, he brought his family of five to the United States, ultimately relocating to Stamford, Connecticut, where he would live for the next 41 years. There, Friedhelm proudly watched his daughters grow up, go off to college, marry, and raise families of their own.

Friedhelm was a calm, reserved, and quiet man with a deep commitment to family. His greatest joy came from spending time with his family, especially his seven grandchildren. He was a devoted and loving Opa, always ready to babysit and often flying down to Florida to help. He was always available to provide rides to activities, loved sneaking snacks to the kids, and enjoyed taking them on countless walks at the beach, apple picking at nearby orchards, and visiting exhibits at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center.

Friedhelm loved being outdoors all his life. He loved hiking in the mountains, and family summer vacations were often spent hiking in the Swiss and Austrian Alps. After he retired, he could often be found walking laps at Cove Island Park or hiking along the trails at the Bartlett Arboretum in Stamford. He also learned to love birdwatching, especially with his cousins Hermann and Alfred.

Another of Friedhelm’s great passions was classical music. He had a large collection of records and CDs and enjoyed taking his family to concerts when we were growing up.

Friedhelm is survived by Irmgard, his wife of 64 years; his brother, Otto; his daughters, Cornelia, Corinna with Tom Ausfahl, and Cordula with Julius Dizon; and his seven grandchildren: Cayman and Adrian, Catharina, Charlotte and Alexandra, and James and Sophia.

We would like to thank everyone who has reached out to us with caring words, cupcakes, food, or flowers. Every kind gesture has been warmly welcomed.

We are truly grateful to Tkeyah and Shayna, his caregivers from Harmony Homecare. Their caring and gentle support over the last four months gave us great comfort and peace of mind that our dad was well taken care of. They offered a hand to hold, or a cup of juice, knowing what he needed just by looking at him when words failed him. We’d also like to thank his hospice nurse Selena and the entire hospice team at Healthcare Connectors. Their calm reassurance during the most difficult of times was appreciated and very much needed.

Papa, rest in peace. We miss you. Your memory will live on in our hearts forever.

Friends and Family Gathering will be held at Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home, 2900 Summer St, Stamford, Connecticut 06905, on August 10, 2026, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

A Graveside Funeral Service will take place on August 10, 2026, from 12:45 pm to 1:00 pm.