Obituary for Stephen Holzel
OBITUARY, STEPHEN EHRHARD HOLZEL
Aug 5, 1942 - Nov 26, 2021
Stephen E. Holzel died peacefully in his home Friday, November 26, 2021, with his wife of 53 years, Patricia, by his side.
Steve was born in war-torn Berlin in 1942 to Ehrhard Holzel of Berlin, Germany, and Margaret "Gretchen" (nee Martin) of Montclair, New Jersey. His father, Ehrhard died in 1943.
His mother, Gretchen, moved to Bergan, Rügan, on the Baltic Sea to escape the ever-increasing bombing of Berlin. Gretchen and her two young sons, Steve and Tom, returned to Berlin at War’s end, and fled to America in May, 1946, to live with their maternal grandmother in Montclair, New Jersey, where they grew up.
Steve graduated from Montclair High School in 1960 then Upsala College (NJ) and soon began working for TechnoPulp—a forestry consulting firm in Upper Montclair. Given a free hand at this entrepreneurial company, and with Steve’s canny business acumen, he soon gravitated to buying, improving and then selling large apartment buildings all over the United States.
Steve had a life-long case of horizon fever, traveling to many far-off places. Among other adventures, he lived for a while in Australia, traveled on a cargo ship, drove a motorcycle from Cape Town to Cairo, and had many solo canoeing adventures up and down the East Coast, as well as Outward Bound trips. Steve was a 5.0 tennis player, great poker player, and loved going to the YMCA. Steve traveled all over the United States with Pat, took
very good care of his mother, and stayed close with his extended family members and many friends. Steve married his soulmate, Patricia Smith, of Montclair, NJ in 1968. They have lived in Bloomfield, NJ for the past 47 years.
Steve was an exceptionally thoughtful man, known for his positive attitude, and random acts of kindness. If you found a silver dollar in your shoe, you knew who put it there. Steve is survived by his loving wife, Pat, and his brother, Thomas Holzel, of Litchfield, CT, sister in-law, Dianne Holzel, and his nieces and nephew: Peter Holzel, Maggie Lange, Elise Smith and their children.
There will be a Celebration of Stephen’s Life in the Spring of 2022.
Aug 5, 1942 - Nov 26, 2021
Stephen E. Holzel died peacefully in his home Friday, November 26, 2021, with his wife of 53 years, Patricia, by his side.
Steve was born in war-torn Berlin in 1942 to Ehrhard Holzel of Berlin, Germany, and Margaret "Gretchen" (nee Martin) of Montclair, New Jersey. His father, Ehrhard died in 1943.
His mother, Gretchen, moved to Bergan, Rügan, on the Baltic Sea to escape the ever-increasing bombing of Berlin. Gretchen and her two young sons, Steve and Tom, returned to Berlin at War’s end, and fled to America in May, 1946, to live with their maternal grandmother in Montclair, New Jersey, where they grew up.
Steve graduated from Montclair High School in 1960 then Upsala College (NJ) and soon began working for TechnoPulp—a forestry consulting firm in Upper Montclair. Given a free hand at this entrepreneurial company, and with Steve’s canny business acumen, he soon gravitated to buying, improving and then selling large apartment buildings all over the United States.
Steve had a life-long case of horizon fever, traveling to many far-off places. Among other adventures, he lived for a while in Australia, traveled on a cargo ship, drove a motorcycle from Cape Town to Cairo, and had many solo canoeing adventures up and down the East Coast, as well as Outward Bound trips. Steve was a 5.0 tennis player, great poker player, and loved going to the YMCA. Steve traveled all over the United States with Pat, took
very good care of his mother, and stayed close with his extended family members and many friends. Steve married his soulmate, Patricia Smith, of Montclair, NJ in 1968. They have lived in Bloomfield, NJ for the past 47 years.
Steve was an exceptionally thoughtful man, known for his positive attitude, and random acts of kindness. If you found a silver dollar in your shoe, you knew who put it there. Steve is survived by his loving wife, Pat, and his brother, Thomas Holzel, of Litchfield, CT, sister in-law, Dianne Holzel, and his nieces and nephew: Peter Holzel, Maggie Lange, Elise Smith and their children.
There will be a Celebration of Stephen’s Life in the Spring of 2022.