Theodor 'Theo' Wilhelm Ehrenberg, 92

Theodor “Theo” Wilhelm Ehrenberg, 92, peacefully passed away on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, at Beehive Homes in Columbia Falls.

Theo was the fifth of 13 children, born on Feb. 2, 1926, to Franz and Anna Ehrenberg in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Theo said of his childhood he was always hungry; his mother could make soup out of anything, and someone was always crying.

After the war, he moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to start a new life with his wife, Gerda, and son Ted. He worked his way up to be a buyer at Gimbel’s and they had a home in Penn Hills. He saved well and eventually bought a small piece of land on the Allegheny River, where he often took his son fishing.

Later, Theo and his wife moved to Green Valley, Arizona. He was an avid gardener, walked twice a day, and swam laps three times a week. When his wife grew ill with Alzheimer’s he cared for her as long as he could.

Theo was very devoted to his family and loved ones and will be sorely missed.

Theo is survived by his daughter-in-law Joan, his granddaughter Katelyn in Whitefish, and his two sisters Maria and Christa, and many cousins, nieces and nephews in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

Theo was preceded in death by his wife Gerda, his son Ted, his parents Franz and Anna, his brothers, Frans, Alfons, Heinz, August, Hans and Siegfried, and his sisters, Erni, Thresi, Else and Regina.

His memorial service is at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 2, at All Saints’ Episcopal Church at 2048 Conn Road, Columbia Falls.