Margarete Puff
(née Gstrein)
Margarete passed away in Nanaimo Hospital Tuesday, June 28th after a lengthy illness.
Margarete was born in Gaildorf, Germany on August 15, 1946, the second of four children born to Ernst and Elisabeth Gstrein.
Predeceased by her parents Ernst and Elisabeth, sister Renate Geist and infant nephew Olaf Geist.
She is survived by her loving husband of 43 years Leo, daughter Tanja Rumming (Jayson), grandchildren Maxwell and Elisabeth, truly the greatest treasures of her life; brother Siegfried Gstrein (Edel), sister Dorle Bauer (Fritz), nieces and nephews Simon, Verena, Jasmin and Mareike, Aunt Agnes Schule, long time treasured friends John and Dianne Kemp of Kamloops, also JJT.
In 1970 Margarete met a Canadian soldier stationed in Lahr, Germany. There was an instant attraction and they married in 1973. In 1976 Margarete left her native Germany to begin a new life in a strange country. She spent two years in Calgary before Leo’s military posting brought the family to Nanaimo. Leo left the military in 1979 and Margarete and Tanja enjoyed the new stability in their lives. Margarete became a very proud Canadian citizen in 2004, but throughout her years in Canada, she maintained close ties with her family and friends in Germany.
To all the staff on the hospital first floor and to the staff in the palliative care unit where she spent her last night, a huge thank you for your compassion, professionalism and dedication in dealing with a most difficult situation. Thank you so much.
First Memorial will be doing the cremation. There will be a graveside ceremony at Townsite Chinese Cemetery, 1598 Townsite Road, Nanaimo on July 18th, 2016 at 1:00 pm.