Rudolf Emil Stengele, 87, of Medicine Hat, Alberta, passed away peacefully on Monday, December 9, 2024, surrounded by his family, after a short illness.  He put up his “Gone Fishing” sign for one last time.

Rudolf (Rudy) was born in Baden-Baden, Germany to Marta and Paul Stengele on April 1, 1937.  He trained as a stone mason/bricklayer and worked in Baden-Baden until he immigrated to Canada in 1959.
He settled in Eston, Saskatchewan, where he built a life, a career as a talented stone mason, and a family with his two daughters.  In 1990, he moved to Vernon, BC to work on his brother-in-law’s farm until his retirement.  In 2013, he moved to Medicine Hat, Alberta to be closer to his family and lived there until his passing.

Rudy found great joy in the simple pleasures of life……..and his favorite pastime was going fishing early in the morning……sitting on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River and watching the wildlife, while waiting for his “big catch”.  His other major interests were watching the Blue Jays and the Saskatchewan Roughriders play and he rarely missed a game on TV.

The highlight of his life was being fortunate to return with his entire family to his birthplace in Baden-Baden, Germany in 2019.  He delighted in sharing his roots, revisiting his childhood home, neighborhood, and recounting stories of his youth.  

His greatest passion in life was spending time with his daughters/their spouses, his granddaughters/their spouses and great-grandchildren.  They all brought a smile to his face, warmth to his heart and laughter to his day…..

He is survived by his two daughters, Susanne Schweitzer (Gary) and Monika Byrnes (Dean), his grandchildren, Autumn Schweitzer (Mark Yeast), Lisa Schweitzer (Muhammad), Megan Heidt (Drew), his great-grandchildren, Brielle and Camden Schweitzer-Yeast, sisters-in-law, Vera Ciccone and Roslin Steinkrug, many nephews and nieces and their families, both in Germany and Canada.

A private family Celebration of Life will take place in the summer of 2025.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Dad’s memory to the Canadian Lung Association.  The online address is www.lung.ca/donate.

We will miss him more than words can express……Our Dad, Our Opa, Forever Loved, Never Forgotten.