February 28, 1941 - November 6, 2024
In loving memory ~
Some time at eve, when the tide is low,
I shall slip my moorings and sail away...
On November 6, 2024, with saddened hearts, we said goodbye to our dear dad, Capitan Karl Heinz Luedtke (aka Oscar). He was born on February 28,1941 in Elberfeld, Germany.
Our father left home at the age of 14, in hopes of sailing the seas. He started his apprenticeship on a barge running the Rhine River. His adventures took him all over the world, building the stories we all loved to hear. Karl became a Master mariner and challenged his trade with many positions at the wheel. His knowledge of geography and history captivated his audience. Karl met his true family and lifelong friends on those ships. Finding his way to Montreal, Canada, our dad and his best mates headed to Vancouver, where he met Patricia Horsting and fell in love. Though the sea was his work, his family and new home were his heart. Together they settled in Aldergrove B.C. on an acreage and had three children, living close to Patricia's extended family and dear European friends. In 1986 Karl and Patrica left the Fraser Valley for Nelson, B.C., settling in Sunshine Bay on a lovely farm on the Kootenay lake. It is here that they both rest peacefully together.
Tyson and Jessica Luedtke, with daughter Emily (11), Corry Luedtke with daughter Ruby (17) and son Wyatt (15), and Karla Luedtke with daughter Logan (18), will hold onto many memories of Dad and Opa and continue to share his stories. Nelson brought many new adventures on the lake surrounded by mountains with fishing, hunting, and building a beautiful farm. We will miss that love and home-grown food. The friends from Nelson that became family, will forever be in our hearts.
A memorial will be held in the spring on the farm. (TBA)
For more information and to leave a message of condolence, please see the Thompson Funeral Service website at https://www.thompsonfs.ca