Obituary for Horst G. Berendt
Horst G. Berendt, 89, of Denver, passed away Monday, August 7, 2023 at WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital, Ephrata, PA. He was the husband to the late Dolly Berendt (nee Gerhart) for more than 38 years at the time of her passing in 2009.
Born in Frankfurt (Oder), Germany, he was the son of the late Elsa and Erich Berendt. At 16 years of age, after dreaming of a better life, he decided to leave his family and escaped from East Germany and settled in a refugee camp in West Germany. His dream was to come to America, so he worked with The Brethren Church at various sites across West Germany until he learned English and found a sponsor to bring him to The United States.
In 1954, his dream became a reality. He found a sponsor, the late Robert C. Wenger of Ephrata, and set sail on the SS Neptunia, arriving in New York Harbor on November 26,1954. He was employed by C.P. Wenger and Sons until he started a new life-long career as a machinist at Weave Corporation in Denver. He was the hardest of workers and rose in the ranks from an apprentice to shift supervisor, retiring from there in 1999.
Horst met Dolly and her daughter Linda in the late 1960’s, and they were married on Christmas Eve, 1970. Their son, Erich, was born in October 1971. After residing for a year in Schoeneck, the family built a home in the woods on Horseshoe Trail Road, Denver, where Horst lived until his passing. He enjoyed spending days in the garden or helping friends and family with their gardens. In recent years, Horst developed a close and loving friendship with Carolyn Potts. They spent every day together for the past three-plus years, enjoying long walks and good meals filled with conversations and laughs.
He celebrated his German heritage, particularly at Stoudt’s festivals, enjoying dancing, fellowship, and a good beer, but he was most-proud of becoming a citizen and exercising his right to vote. He was recognized by the state of Pennsylvania in 2015 for having voted in every single local, state and federal election for more than 50 years. In his later years, he enjoyed traveling yearly with Erich to Germany and visiting his granddaughter, Sammy, in California.
Horst was proud to be an American, friendly to everyone and had the absolute warmest smile. We will miss him and that smile.
He is survived by his son Erich (married to Kym) of New York, NY, his daughter Linda L. Cubic of Ephrata, PA; granddaughter Samantha N. Berendt of Sherman Oaks, CA, his sisters Rosi and Evi and their families in Germany, and granddogs, Bullet and Bandit.
A viewing will be held at Roseboro Stradling Funeral Home, 533 Walnut Street, Denver, from 6 to 8 PM Wednesday, August 16. A second visitation will be held at 10 AM, preceding the 11 AM funeral service, Thursday, August 17, at Roseboro Stradling. A graveside service will take place immediately following at Mellinger’s Cemetery, Schoeneck. Erich, Kym, Sammy, Linda and Carolyn invite family and friends to The Penguin Hotel, Stevens, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM for an informal lunch and social gathering.
Memorial contributions in Horst's memory may be made to Alzheimer's Association, 2595 Interstate Drive, Suite 100, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9378.
Arrangements by Roseboro Stradling Funeral and Cremation Services, Inc., Denver.
Born in Frankfurt (Oder), Germany, he was the son of the late Elsa and Erich Berendt. At 16 years of age, after dreaming of a better life, he decided to leave his family and escaped from East Germany and settled in a refugee camp in West Germany. His dream was to come to America, so he worked with The Brethren Church at various sites across West Germany until he learned English and found a sponsor to bring him to The United States.
In 1954, his dream became a reality. He found a sponsor, the late Robert C. Wenger of Ephrata, and set sail on the SS Neptunia, arriving in New York Harbor on November 26,1954. He was employed by C.P. Wenger and Sons until he started a new life-long career as a machinist at Weave Corporation in Denver. He was the hardest of workers and rose in the ranks from an apprentice to shift supervisor, retiring from there in 1999.
Horst met Dolly and her daughter Linda in the late 1960’s, and they were married on Christmas Eve, 1970. Their son, Erich, was born in October 1971. After residing for a year in Schoeneck, the family built a home in the woods on Horseshoe Trail Road, Denver, where Horst lived until his passing. He enjoyed spending days in the garden or helping friends and family with their gardens. In recent years, Horst developed a close and loving friendship with Carolyn Potts. They spent every day together for the past three-plus years, enjoying long walks and good meals filled with conversations and laughs.
He celebrated his German heritage, particularly at Stoudt’s festivals, enjoying dancing, fellowship, and a good beer, but he was most-proud of becoming a citizen and exercising his right to vote. He was recognized by the state of Pennsylvania in 2015 for having voted in every single local, state and federal election for more than 50 years. In his later years, he enjoyed traveling yearly with Erich to Germany and visiting his granddaughter, Sammy, in California.
Horst was proud to be an American, friendly to everyone and had the absolute warmest smile. We will miss him and that smile.
He is survived by his son Erich (married to Kym) of New York, NY, his daughter Linda L. Cubic of Ephrata, PA; granddaughter Samantha N. Berendt of Sherman Oaks, CA, his sisters Rosi and Evi and their families in Germany, and granddogs, Bullet and Bandit.
A viewing will be held at Roseboro Stradling Funeral Home, 533 Walnut Street, Denver, from 6 to 8 PM Wednesday, August 16. A second visitation will be held at 10 AM, preceding the 11 AM funeral service, Thursday, August 17, at Roseboro Stradling. A graveside service will take place immediately following at Mellinger’s Cemetery, Schoeneck. Erich, Kym, Sammy, Linda and Carolyn invite family and friends to The Penguin Hotel, Stevens, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM for an informal lunch and social gathering.
Memorial contributions in Horst's memory may be made to Alzheimer's Association, 2595 Interstate Drive, Suite 100, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9378.
Arrangements by Roseboro Stradling Funeral and Cremation Services, Inc., Denver.