STOEHR, Hilda (Aufrichtig) April 13, 1914 – April 13, 2017 It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that we had said goodbye to our beloved mom, oma, grandmamma, great-grandma and great-great-grandma.Mourning her loss are daughter Valerie (Erhardt) Schirmaier; son Eric Stoehr (Ruth Walker); grandchildren Peter (Dianne), Parri (Dan), Darlene (Jeff), and Robert (Janelle); great-grandchildren; and great-great grandchildren.Predeceased by her son Herman in 1988 and her husband Eric in 1997.In tradition, burial took place on the day of passing.The family wishes to express their gratitude to Dr. Stephen Toal, as well as the caring staff and volunteers at the Dr. Gerald Zetter Care Centre 3 south.In memory of Hilda, donations may be made to the Winnifred Stewart Association or the Salvation Army. Hilda Stoehr (Stöhr) was born on April 13, 1914 in Vienna, Austria, and was the youngest of four children born to Berta and Alois Aufrichtig. Hilda was a furrier by trade and learned this profession because of a promise made to her oldest sibling, also a furrier by trade, who died in 1927 at the age of 20 years. Today it would be unheard of to lose your life due to a middle ear infection. She also had a great love of the theatre and was a part time actress. Always having the desire to do something new, Hilda was off to England on a one year contract, as a domestic help. She was in England from May 1935 returning to Vienna in May 1936. This one year of employment was Hilda's salvation when the Anschluss of Austria occurred in March 1938. After seeing Hitler march into Vienna, and on the advice of a friend to leave as quickly as possible, Hilda again found employment in England as domestic help. One of the prerequisites to leave Austria was that one had to have employment in the country you were going to, no debts and no police record. Her mother, father and brother would not be so lucky. Hilda met her husband to be Erich Stoehr (Stöhr) at an immigration hall in Guildford, Surrey, England. Erich was born in Karlsbad, Austria-Hungary and was a staunch member of the Social Democratic Party and because of his political leanings, being very anti-Nazi, had to flee his beloved Sudetenland. Theirs was a marriage of convenience. Canada was accepting Sudeten Germans as political refugees, wanting you to be married or sponsored by a married couple. After knowing each other only three weeks, Hilda and Erich were married and left for Canada on July 10, 1939. Arriving in Quebec on July 19, 1938, it was then across Canada by train to Edmonton. Their journey continued to a settlement in Northwest Alberta called Tupper Creek/Toms Lake. Their home was a tent until they built their one room cabin. Their first child, Valerie, was born in Pouce Coupe, BC, on May 15, 1940. Realizing homesteading was not the life for a tailor and a furrier they moved in the fall of 1940 to Edmonton. A short time later they had their own business known as "Twin City Tailor and Furrier." Hilda and Erich had two more children, sons, Eric and Herman. Their 58 years of marriage were not without their challenges their bond and love grew giving them the strength to endure all. Because their son Herman was mentally challenged, Hilda became very involved with the Winnifred Stewart School, teaching handicrafts, until her retirement in 1979. After her retirement Hilda was up at 5:00 every morning and off to the Bonnie Doon swimming pool. She did this faithfully every Monday to Friday until she was 95 years young at which time she moved into independent living at Churchill Manor. Oh! how she loved Las Vegas and was known to all of the grandchildren as the "Gambling Grandma." Another favorite getaway was the many trips to Puerto Vallarta with family. The most memorable of all her trips back to Vienna, was the trip taken in May 2008 with her daughter Valerie, for the Memorial Service honoring those who did not return from the Holocaust. Dr.Elizabeth Ben David-Hundler of Vienna, started "Street of Remembrance" (Weg der Erinnerung, Leopoldstadt, 2 Bz. Vienna). This was for the placing of Stolpersteine (brass plaques) in memory of Hilda's mother, father and brother who lost their lives in the Holocaust. In 1965, Hilda and Eric Stoehr were founding members of Club Austria, Edmonton. Also, founding members of the Sudeten Club, Edmonton. This was their way of keeping their heritage alive, yet never forgetting and ever so grateful that Canada gave them the opportunity to start a new life for themselves and their children. The Matriarch of the family, she instilled in us to be proud of who you are, show respect to all and do not shame the family name.