We Remember

UNRAU, Joachim (Joe) Wilhelm

January 16, 1930 — June 15, 2018

Joachim (Joe) Wilhelm Unrau, 88 of Kelowna, BC, passed away, Friday, June 15, 2018 at Kelowna General Hospital.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am, Wednesday, June 27 at Kelowna Gospel Fellowship, 3714 Gordon Drive, Kelowna, BC V1W4M8. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Mennonite Central Committee, Kelowna, BC.

Joachim was born on January 16, 1930 in Schultzenweide, Boenhof, Kreis Sturn, West Prussia to Georg & Bertha (Knels) Unrau. As an early teen, he along with his family endured the violence and starvation of the IIWW first hand. This early experience shaped him for the rest of his life. Joachim was baptized into his Mennonite faith on March 20, 1951 in Froese, by Aeltester A. Barkle. Following several attempts with friends Joachim was able to escape Russian occupied Germany for the west. In 1956 he emigrated to Hamilton, Ontario on the S.S. New York, from Bremerhaven, Germany. The minister of the Hamilton Mennonite Church, Rev. Gerhard Peters found him a place to live with a widow from the church and her two young girls. Joachim fell in love with all three and on August 30, 1957 he married Philippine (Ritthaler) Harder at the Hamilton Mennonite Church, Cumberland Ave., Hamilton, Ontario.

While in Western Germany, Joachim studied cabinet making and completed his apprenticeship. On arrival in Canada, he found employment at Valley City Manufacturing in Dundas, Ontario. During his lifetime Joachim designed and manufactured much beautiful furniture, cabinets and other items there and in his own shop at Unrau Custom Woodwork in Kelowna, BC.

Joachim is survived by his four children, Alma & her husband John Dudzic of Hamilton, Ontario, Erna Harder of Kelowna, BC, William & his wife Theresa Unrau of Kelowna, BC and Doris Dueck of Kelowna, BC, 6 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents Georg & Bertha, his brother Hans and his sister Brigitta, and his wife Philippine.

The family would like to thank the staff at Cottonwoods Care Facility, Kelowna, BC for wonderful care & attention to Joe during his time there, some special staff at KGH in making his final days more comfortable and his doctor for her extra ordinary care.

If you wish to send a condolence, post photos or share a memory, please scroll down the page to the area called “Share Your Condolences.”

Service
Wednesday, June 27, 2018 at 11:00 am

Location
Kelowna Gospel Fellowship

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Service Information

Service Details


The service for UNRAU, Joachim (Joe) Wilhelm is scheduled for Wednesday, June 27, 2018 at 11:00 am . Below you will find the map for the service location and the contact information should you have any questions.

Address & Contact for Service Location:

Kelowna Gospel Fellowship

3714 Gordon Drive Kelowna, BC

Phone:

Special Requests:

None.

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Condolences

  • Bonny Koehn says:
    July 31, 2018 at 6:22 am

    Dear Doris and the rest of the Unrau family,
    I am sorry to hear of your Dad’s passing. It was always nice to see him — a pleasant smiling man at Cottonwoods Care Centre greeting others cheerfully as he rolled along in his wheelchair. May you be comforted by wonderful memories of your Dad. Sincerely, Bonny Koehn

    Reply

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