Marking the passing of Hoerst Klaus
Yesterday, I went to a graveside funeral. Hoerst Klaus died a few days earlier. There was no minister present as Hoerst was a Humanist and did not believe in religion. To me the service had a strangeness to it. The coffin was brought forward and placed above the grave, and without a minister for a short while there was nothing said as we all stood around and stared at the coffin.
Then what I believe to be a granddaughter came forward and spoke about Hoerst in endearing terms. I followed up with a brief mention that he had written two books under a pseudonym Karl Zimmerman and he often wrote letters to the editor.
I was followed by Hoerst’s neighbour and caretaker who was weeping openly as she described how she had found him dead alone in his house. She described her love for Hoerst and how he had a cantankerous side if he ran out of blueberries or other supposed necessities of life. It seems that most all present had a few gracious words to say about Hoerst.
I came to know Hoerst as an active member of our Canadian Cuban Friendship Association and for a long time he came to executive meetings and participated in activities until in recent years age and frailty had curtailed this activism.
With the passing of his wife some years ago, he lived alone in a house on Oakdale Ave where I visited him just about a month before his passing. Hoerst liked his wine and we shared a glass as we talked and he showed me pictures of the sail boats he owned. He gave me one of his two published books titled “Peace on Earth … Is it Possible”.
Hoerst was an inventor, a businessman, a writer, a sailor, a world traveler and a man of science with extensive knowledge of the universe and solar system. Hoerst was an internationalist and had travelled and worked throughout much of the world. He had a sunny disposition and was, to my mind very much a ladies man as well into his eighties he would travel to Cuba with different lady friends.
Hoerst was born in 1931 under the veil of Hitler’s Nazi Germany. He clearly opposed Nazism but I have no knowledge how he survived the war and Hitler’s deadly fascist regime.
I am certain that a book could be written on what I do not know of the long adventurous life of Hoerst Klaus.
rb
Ron Boyer
In less than half a year, we have lost two stalwarts of CCFA Niagara. Hoerst Klaus and before him Ron Boyer.
I wrote a bit of what I know about Hoerst Klaus, now I would like to say a word about Ron Boyer, Aprll 22, 1937 – July 29, 2022.
I knew, and was a friend of Ron’s, not only through his activism with the CCFA Niagara but through the years we both worked at G.M.
That Ron worked in some form of quality control and this Ron worked in Facilities engineering.
Ron was a CAW 119 union activist, chair of the 199 Peace and Disarmament Committee, and I my worked with air quality and noise suppression. This often entailed working with Union Reps. I give credit to Ron for his work in bringing about the International Land Mines Treaty
I often sought Ron out to talk to my think alike friend. Ron Boyer was a thoroughly likeable fellow and he is missed.
I attended the sizeable and beautiful celebration of life that his family and friends held for Ron. His family paid tribute to Ron in words and expression that conveyed love and appreciation.
And there was a message from Ron on a small card that carried his characteristic picture.
The poetic words read:
Goodbye
Goodbye to my family, my life has passed,
I love you all to the very last,
Weep not for me, but courage take,
Love each other for my sake,
For those you love don’t go away.
They walk beside you Every day.
Ron Boyer, a friend.
rb
