Manfred Schmitz was the oldest son of Paul Schmitz and his wife Mathilde Schmitz, and the elder brother of Ingrid Elisabeth.
When my grandfather lost his life at the end of WWII, Manfred, aged almost 16, took over the responsibility for his mother and his younger siblings.
He worked hard to support his mother and siblings and managed to do that wonderfully, even throughout his professional education, when he started to work with national railroad and qualified as an engine-driver.
He met a beautiful woman from Adenau, Christel, and the two of them got married and had three kids altogether.
Manfred's very close relationship with his mother and siblings continued, and he became the godfather of Ingrid's daughter Edda.
In 1981 his mother Mathilde passed away, and when his sister Ingrid was sadly taken home way too early, it was the most natural thing on earth for Manfred to support his niece with her own load of responsibilities for her handicapped father; he became the closest link between his sister and niece. He would always fix things or offer good advice, never hesitating to continue his care for all his family.
And when his great-nephew Philip was born in 1992, he took over the role of a second grandfather, taking Philip to places of interest for a little boy.
*****
There has not been a single day since my beloved godfather sadly passed away on May 11, 2006, that I have not thought of him, or even talked to him, and my son Philip keeps speaking about him.
We shall always love and miss him a lot, but we are very grateful for having had such a loving uncle and great-uncle.
A heartfelt thank you to darealjolo for kindly sponsoring my Uncle's memorial - ((((Joanne)))), you are wonderful, xoxoxo.
When my grandfather lost his life at the end of WWII, Manfred, aged almost 16, took over the responsibility for his mother and his younger siblings.
He worked hard to support his mother and siblings and managed to do that wonderfully, even throughout his professional education, when he started to work with national railroad and qualified as an engine-driver.
He met a beautiful woman from Adenau, Christel, and the two of them got married and had three kids altogether.
Manfred's very close relationship with his mother and siblings continued, and he became the godfather of Ingrid's daughter Edda.
In 1981 his mother Mathilde passed away, and when his sister Ingrid was sadly taken home way too early, it was the most natural thing on earth for Manfred to support his niece with her own load of responsibilities for her handicapped father; he became the closest link between his sister and niece. He would always fix things or offer good advice, never hesitating to continue his care for all his family.
And when his great-nephew Philip was born in 1992, he took over the role of a second grandfather, taking Philip to places of interest for a little boy.
*****
There has not been a single day since my beloved godfather sadly passed away on May 11, 2006, that I have not thought of him, or even talked to him, and my son Philip keeps speaking about him.
We shall always love and miss him a lot, but we are very grateful for having had such a loving uncle and great-uncle.
A heartfelt thank you to darealjolo for kindly sponsoring my Uncle's memorial - ((((Joanne)))), you are wonderful, xoxoxo.
Manfred Schmitz was the oldest son of Paul Schmitz and his wife Mathilde Schmitz, and the elder brother of Ingrid Elisabeth.
When my grandfather lost his life at the end of WWII, Manfred, aged almost 16, took over the responsibility for his mother and his younger siblings.
He worked hard to support his mother and siblings and managed to do that wonderfully, even throughout his professional education, when he started to work with national railroad and qualified as an engine-driver.
He met a beautiful woman from Adenau, Christel, and the two of them got married and had three kids altogether.
Manfred's very close relationship with his mother and siblings continued, and he became the godfather of Ingrid's daughter Edda.
In 1981 his mother Mathilde passed away, and when his sister Ingrid was sadly taken home way too early, it was the most natural thing on earth for Manfred to support his niece with her own load of responsibilities for her handicapped father; he became the closest link between his sister and niece. He would always fix things or offer good advice, never hesitating to continue his care for all his family.
And when his great-nephew Philip was born in 1992, he took over the role of a second grandfather, taking Philip to places of interest for a little boy.
*****
There has not been a single day since my beloved godfather sadly passed away on May 11, 2006, that I have not thought of him, or even talked to him, and my son Philip keeps speaking about him.
We shall always love and miss him a lot, but we are very grateful for having had such a loving uncle and great-uncle.
A heartfelt thank you to darealjolo for kindly sponsoring my Uncle's memorial - ((((Joanne)))), you are wonderful, xoxoxo.
When my grandfather lost his life at the end of WWII, Manfred, aged almost 16, took over the responsibility for his mother and his younger siblings.
He worked hard to support his mother and siblings and managed to do that wonderfully, even throughout his professional education, when he started to work with national railroad and qualified as an engine-driver.
He met a beautiful woman from Adenau, Christel, and the two of them got married and had three kids altogether.
Manfred's very close relationship with his mother and siblings continued, and he became the godfather of Ingrid's daughter Edda.
In 1981 his mother Mathilde passed away, and when his sister Ingrid was sadly taken home way too early, it was the most natural thing on earth for Manfred to support his niece with her own load of responsibilities for her handicapped father; he became the closest link between his sister and niece. He would always fix things or offer good advice, never hesitating to continue his care for all his family.
And when his great-nephew Philip was born in 1992, he took over the role of a second grandfather, taking Philip to places of interest for a little boy.
*****
There has not been a single day since my beloved godfather sadly passed away on May 11, 2006, that I have not thought of him, or even talked to him, and my son Philip keeps speaking about him.
We shall always love and miss him a lot, but we are very grateful for having had such a loving uncle and great-uncle.
A heartfelt thank you to darealjolo for kindly sponsoring my Uncle's memorial - ((((Joanne)))), you are wonderful, xoxoxo.
