Obituary for Kurt Edgar Traugott
We are deeply saddened to announce Kurt Edgar Traugott’s passing on Thursday, April 8 at Vancouver General Hospital. Kurt was an amazing Dad, Opa, husband, brother, friend and teacher. He was a lovely man and a big person, extremely positive, good humoured, caring, and generous. His passion for people, be it his closest family and friends, the thousands of students he taught, or complete strangers on the dock, street or in line at the market led him to touch the lives of countless individuals, many in life-altering impactful ways.
Kurt was born in the small town of Vöcklabruck, Austria in 1942, the youngest of three brothers, and grew up skiing the Alps and sailing the lakes while apprenticing to become a Cabinet Maker. He met his wife Idske (née Douwes) in the early 1960s, immigrating to Vancouver, Canada together in 1965 where they raised their two sons Richard (Christina Margraf) and Ted (Lynn Heyes). Kurt studied at UBC in Vancouver to get his Bachelor Degree in Teaching in the early 1970s and taught Industrial Education in several High Schools and Carpentry for 20 years at BCIT. His love of boats and travel brought him on many adventures and he welcomed the chance to share his adventures with those he loved over land and sea to Gottland, Panama, Europe, the Americas, New Zealand, Australia, the Caribbean, the South Pacific and across both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. After Idske’s passing in 2006, Kurt met his second wife Cynthia (née Bleiler), and the two travelled to many destinations together. The last few years of Kurt’s life allowed him to explore on his own and get to know himself on his own terms. As an Opa, he loved without sacrifice his four grandchildren Adam, Joni, Makie and Kaia. Although his passing was relatively quick and unexpected, Kurt lived a full and rich life.
We love you and we will miss you so much Kurt. You gave us so much. We will take you with us everywhere and we will keep you in our hearts and speak fondly of you often, your energy and spirit carry on with us eternally.
A Celebration of Life/Memorial will be held online via Zoom on Saturday, May 29, 2021 at 10am Pacific Standard Time. Although it’s not the big in-person party Kurt would have preferred, it is the best way to have everyone from around the world participate and we would love to see you there. Please send your email address to richtraugott@gmail.com to confirm and receive the link, along with any pictures, songs or stories of shining moments to potentially be included in the presentation indicating the people, place and year. Let’s send Kurt off in style!
In lieu of flowers, Donations may be made in Kurt’s honour to Covenant House Vancouver, a charitable organization that helps homeless youth get situated with employment and housing, thank you.
Kurt was born in the small town of Vöcklabruck, Austria in 1942, the youngest of three brothers, and grew up skiing the Alps and sailing the lakes while apprenticing to become a Cabinet Maker. He met his wife Idske (née Douwes) in the early 1960s, immigrating to Vancouver, Canada together in 1965 where they raised their two sons Richard (Christina Margraf) and Ted (Lynn Heyes). Kurt studied at UBC in Vancouver to get his Bachelor Degree in Teaching in the early 1970s and taught Industrial Education in several High Schools and Carpentry for 20 years at BCIT. His love of boats and travel brought him on many adventures and he welcomed the chance to share his adventures with those he loved over land and sea to Gottland, Panama, Europe, the Americas, New Zealand, Australia, the Caribbean, the South Pacific and across both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. After Idske’s passing in 2006, Kurt met his second wife Cynthia (née Bleiler), and the two travelled to many destinations together. The last few years of Kurt’s life allowed him to explore on his own and get to know himself on his own terms. As an Opa, he loved without sacrifice his four grandchildren Adam, Joni, Makie and Kaia. Although his passing was relatively quick and unexpected, Kurt lived a full and rich life.
We love you and we will miss you so much Kurt. You gave us so much. We will take you with us everywhere and we will keep you in our hearts and speak fondly of you often, your energy and spirit carry on with us eternally.
A Celebration of Life/Memorial will be held online via Zoom on Saturday, May 29, 2021 at 10am Pacific Standard Time. Although it’s not the big in-person party Kurt would have preferred, it is the best way to have everyone from around the world participate and we would love to see you there. Please send your email address to richtraugott@gmail.com to confirm and receive the link, along with any pictures, songs or stories of shining moments to potentially be included in the presentation indicating the people, place and year. Let’s send Kurt off in style!
In lieu of flowers, Donations may be made in Kurt’s honour to Covenant House Vancouver, a charitable organization that helps homeless youth get situated with employment and housing, thank you.