Horst Hardtke

Hardtke - Horst Gunther

Peacefully in hospital on Tuesday, December 31, 2019 in his 93rd year.  He leaves behind his forever love and wife of 70 years, Gerda Hardtke; his son Dr. Dieter Hardtke (Liz); daughters Marion Carter (Gary) and Heidi Taylor (Weldon); grandchildren Michelle Duclos (Ryan), Morgan Hill (Peter), Troy Hardtke, Lisa Grannan (Eric), Whitney Lee (Elliot), Madison Brutesco (Dan) and Wilson Taylor (Laura); great-grandchildren Kaitlyn and Allison Duclos, Lily and P.J. Hill, Jack and Dean Grannan, Hunter and Viola Lee, Logan, Zara, and Imogen Brutesco, and Brayden and Thomas Taylor; and his beloved  sister, Kathe Zeisig and many loving nieces and nephews.

Horst was preceded in death by his parents Hans and Hedwig Hardtke, and brother Walter Hardtke (Eva).

Born in December of 1927 in Starkhuette, Germany, Horst’s early years were full of loss and tragedy.  In 1952 he moved his young family to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and would truly build his life here in the country he loved.  Learning English at night, while working multiple jobs during the day, Horst was determined to forge on despite his circumstances.  A talented brick-mason and contractor, Horst would build a thriving construction business from the ground up and become an industry leader in Ottawa in the 1960s and 70s.  Through the years, he would own and operate a variety of successful businesses and was a true entrepreneur at heart.  Horst’s greatest joy, however, would come in his three children all of which have owned and operated successful businesses of their own.

An avid card player with a sharp mind and a competitive heart, Horst would make and lose many friends around a Skat or Euchre table.  He always loved a great party, and would be the first and the last on any dance floor, never wanting the Elvis songs to end.  Although Horst would travel much of the world in is long life, it cannot be argued that his favorite places on Earth were summers on the Rideau River and winters on the Gulf of Mexico.  Horst took great pride in the beautiful home he built in Manotick where he could watch the Rideau go by from his own backyard, and spent 25 years traveling to Florida to spend the winters in sunny Panama City Beach.

As his family grieves this great loss, Horst will forever be remembered as the life of the party, a mover and a shaker who did not stay idle for long, a man with an unmatched work ethic, incredible people skills, and a survivor’s spirit.  Beloved husband, brother, Pap, and Opa, he will be greatly missed.