The world now has one fewer of the good men. On February 20, 2021, which was a beautiful winter morning, Hein-Rüediger Pause gently left this realm, surrounded by his family.
Born in Berlin in 1937, Hein left Germany at age 19, with only two hundred dollars to his name and began a new life in Canada. Arriving in Gander, Newfoundland, he soon made his way west to Penetanguishene where he would ply his bricklaying trade along with his German buddies-- men he would remain friends with until the end.
But Hein’s life truly began when he met Pat Puddicombe on a blind date in October of 1958. They would marry within a year and would remain deeply in love for the next 61 years and 140 days. Hein and Pat lovingly raised four children, David (Prima-Jeanne), Janet (Joe), Angela and Lorraine (Dan plus daughter Samantha). His greatest joy was his family, and he was always there for them when needed; whether it was building a house with his son or ensuring his three daughters’ homes were properly repaired to his exacting standards. He lived for these opportunities to be of service for he had a compassionate servant heart and many skills.
He was one of the hardest working men you could ever meet. He took great joy in performing his chosen trade to a level matched by few. If you wanted something done right, you asked Heinz - the name Pat always called him. He called her Honey. During the early years of raising his young family first in Kitchener, then in Sunnyside (Midland), Hein worked 12-hour days, and often more, to provide. He was wealthy beyond measure in what truly counts: the love and respect of his wife, his children, seven grandchildren, two great-grandsons and a great-granddaughter on the way. He also leaves his younger brother (Fred Pause) and older sisters (Edel Niklas and Gisela Calnan) to whom he remained close despite great distances.
Hein also loved to have fun. He and Pat were always the first on the dance floor and often the last as well. The polka was a thing of beauty for them and everyone watching would marvel at the joy on their faces as their feet flew across the floor. They were beautiful to watch. Hein was as handsome as he was strong. He was as they say, “a real catch” and Pat knew it. Together, they brought joy and laughter to any party. A true German, he loved a good beer, and as a proud Canadian citizen he embraced fishing trips on the Key River. In 1986, he was so proud to bring Pat back to Berlin on their only European jaunt where much fun was had. He and Pat enthusiastically traveled to Central America and the Caribbean and he would bring his snorkel, mask and fins because he loved swimming and exploring the sea. His suitcase was packed weeks before any adventure and because he was always early and never late, you knew with certainty he would arrive exactly at the time he said he would.
Throughout his life, he volunteered in the community because he believed in giving back and was the go-to guy when something needed repair. He was 100 per cent dependable; a rare trait but one that Hein carried easily.
Some of the things he loved (besides his family) were watching soccer and growing vast amounts of vegetables in a series of enormous meticulously tended gardens at the house he built and lived in for 34 years. He always had a book on the go - spy novels were his thing, and back in the day, he would watch wrestling with great joy. He loved country music and ice cream. His preferred task at countless family gatherings was peeling 10 lbs. of potatoes, which Pat would promptly turn into her famous potato salad.
He thought himself a lucky man; fortunate beyond belief to have loving relationships with his grandchildren; he said his goodbyes to Madeleine, Emily, Jennifer (mother of great-grandchildren Owen and Olivia, who will arrive in April) Trevor (father of great-grandson Nolan) Robert, Scott and Joshua.
Many aspects of Hein’s life were remarkable, and his ending was as well; the compassion and attention of the caregivers at Tompkins House/Hospice Huronia was inspiring. Embracing the whole family, our two days there were understandably hard, but the women of Tompkins House made this a loving, gentle transition. Natacha and Angela from Bayshore Health have our enduring gratitude, as well. Donations to hospicehuronia.ca or the Canadian Cancer Society in lieu of flowers would be appreciated.
In his final moments, Hein opened his eyes and whispered his love for Pat. Yet again.
A celebration of Hein’s life will be held at a later date. There will be dancing.
