Obituary for Katharina Schutz
Katharina (Paulnitsch) Shutz
November 30, 1926 – September, 15 2022
Passed in her 97th year at Bella Care Residence. She was the beloved wife of Dieter (predeceased 1985). Loving mother of Helga (Wayne), Joey (Laurie), Johnny. Cherished grandmother to Leigh Campbell, Katey Campbell (predeceased 2013) and great grandmother to Aiden and Livia Blakely.
Katharina was born in Schoendorf, Romania, which was a German community within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. She lived a happy life as an only child of Julianna (Tiebert) and Franz, participating in the religious and ethnic customs of the time. Her academic accomplishments were awarded with a scholarship to attend teacher’s college, a boarding school in Chasbourg, Romania. The first year she spent there, she recalled as one of the happiest times of her life. In the summer of 1944, at the age of 18, she was preparing to evacuate as the Russian army was close. Katharina, fearing for her life, quickly packed basic necessities for her family and fled when the Mayer relatives who had horses and a wagon invited her family to join them in the journey. Her mother was lame and was able to ride in the wagon, while Katharina and her father walked behind through Romania and Hungary.
After two months on the road, Katharina and her parents arrived as refugees in Munzkirchen, Austria, where Katharina met her husband, Dieter Schutz and they married on May 10, 1947. Their first child, Helga, was born in 1948 and together they established a tailoring business, as Dieter had been a tailor before the war. Katharina became his helper and became a proficient tailor herself.
In 1953 they were granted permission to emigrate Niagara Falls, Canada. The emigrant dream was fulfilled with the building of their lifelong home, along with the addition of two sons, Josef Dieter 1954 and John Frank in 1955.
In midlife Katharina began reading the Bible as an attempt to become more proficient in English and found comfort and solace in becoming a Jehovah’s Witness, possibly relieving her of the trauma of her younger life. She was happiest being a homemaker, being a partner with Dieter in their life goals, gardening, sewing and knitting. She was a woman with many talents; painting many water colors that are in her home and playing the violin at religious events. Donations to the Katey Marie Campbell Fund, Niagara Community Foundation or Watchtower Society of Canada via jw.org Visitation will be held on Wednesday September 21 at 2:00 – 4:00 and 7:00 – 9:00pm MORSE & SON FUNERAL HOME, 5917 Main Street, Niagara Falls. Interment will take place at Fairview Cemetery on Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 10:00 am. Memories, photos and condolences may be shared at www.morseandson.com
November 30, 1926 – September, 15 2022
Passed in her 97th year at Bella Care Residence. She was the beloved wife of Dieter (predeceased 1985). Loving mother of Helga (Wayne), Joey (Laurie), Johnny. Cherished grandmother to Leigh Campbell, Katey Campbell (predeceased 2013) and great grandmother to Aiden and Livia Blakely.
Katharina was born in Schoendorf, Romania, which was a German community within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. She lived a happy life as an only child of Julianna (Tiebert) and Franz, participating in the religious and ethnic customs of the time. Her academic accomplishments were awarded with a scholarship to attend teacher’s college, a boarding school in Chasbourg, Romania. The first year she spent there, she recalled as one of the happiest times of her life. In the summer of 1944, at the age of 18, she was preparing to evacuate as the Russian army was close. Katharina, fearing for her life, quickly packed basic necessities for her family and fled when the Mayer relatives who had horses and a wagon invited her family to join them in the journey. Her mother was lame and was able to ride in the wagon, while Katharina and her father walked behind through Romania and Hungary.
After two months on the road, Katharina and her parents arrived as refugees in Munzkirchen, Austria, where Katharina met her husband, Dieter Schutz and they married on May 10, 1947. Their first child, Helga, was born in 1948 and together they established a tailoring business, as Dieter had been a tailor before the war. Katharina became his helper and became a proficient tailor herself.
In 1953 they were granted permission to emigrate Niagara Falls, Canada. The emigrant dream was fulfilled with the building of their lifelong home, along with the addition of two sons, Josef Dieter 1954 and John Frank in 1955.
In midlife Katharina began reading the Bible as an attempt to become more proficient in English and found comfort and solace in becoming a Jehovah’s Witness, possibly relieving her of the trauma of her younger life. She was happiest being a homemaker, being a partner with Dieter in their life goals, gardening, sewing and knitting. She was a woman with many talents; painting many water colors that are in her home and playing the violin at religious events. Donations to the Katey Marie Campbell Fund, Niagara Community Foundation or Watchtower Society of Canada via jw.org Visitation will be held on Wednesday September 21 at 2:00 – 4:00 and 7:00 – 9:00pm MORSE & SON FUNERAL HOME, 5917 Main Street, Niagara Falls. Interment will take place at Fairview Cemetery on Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 10:00 am. Memories, photos and condolences may be shared at www.morseandson.com