Helmut Franz Godau
Born June 22, 1923 - Died Sept. 3, 2014
Birthplace: Hamburg, Germany
Married to: Una (Kelly) Godau
Helmut Franz Godau
Born June 22, 1923 - Died Sept. 3, 2014
Birthplace: Hamburg, Germany
Married to: Una (Kelly) Godau
Family: Helmut’s wife Una; daughter - Simone; sons - Michael, Paul, Peter, Timothy; Grandchildren (Simone’s children) - Heidi, Michelle, Peter, (Michael’s children) - Migel,Neko, Johanna, Bianca, Alexandria, Mattias, (Paul’s children) - Cassandra, Mitchell, (Peter’s children) -Alyssa, Brent, (Tim’s children) - Jordan, Logan; 11 great grandchildren
Helmut and Una immigrated to Canada from England in 1952 to start a new life in a young country.
On arriving in Revelstoke, B.C. Helmut quickly learned that lederhosen and sandals were not the right outfit to wear when loading logging trucks. Helmut went on to work as a prospector, and then camera repairman, before getting a job as bookkeeper for Dawson Wade Ltd., a company that was building the new Trans Canada through the Fraser Canyon. In 1958 the young immigrant couple moved to Clearwater where Helmut worked as a bookkeeper for the local sawmill. By 1965 Helmut and Una decided to move to Vancouver Island. Helmut soon got a job as the assistant treasurer for the Courtenay School District. Then in 1968 it was on to Ashcroft where Helmut became the school district Maintenance Services Manager. In 1978 no longer immigrants Helmut, who was now a bona fide Canadian, moved with his wife, Una, to Powell River where Helmut again took on the School District Maintenance Services Manager’s job. They were now the proud parents of 5 children.
After retiring the couple moved one last time to Nanaimo to be closer to their children. This is where Helmut spent his last days.
Helmut loved the natural beauty of Canada and took great pleasure in hiking trails and exploring the back roads of British Columbia. He could name the mountains and enjoyed canoing on the rivers.
His favorite hobby was gardening, creating beautifully landscaped rock gardens from nothing. With Helmut the garden came first and then the house. He was a leader with ideas: In Clearwater he arranged huge firework displays; while in Powell River he began the B.O.M.B. Squad (Bloody Old Men’s Brigade) which was responsible for clearing trails and building hiking bridges that are still used today. He was a dreamer, a creator, a father, and a husband whose laugh, ideas, and love will be missed by his family.