Ingo Rolf Schmiedchen was born in post-war Berlin in 1946 to Ingeborg Erika Schmiedchen and Heinz Otto Schmiedchen. He was the oldest of 3 boys, brother to Knut, and Jorge (deceased) The family emigrated to Canada in 1954, traveling by oceanliner across the Atlantic, landing at Pier 21 in Halifax, and making their way on the CPR to the logging town of Terrace Bay, Ontario - on the northern tip of Lake Superior.
Not speaking a word of English couldn't stop Ingo from embracing his new home and living the Canadian Dream. He played hockey, learned to fish and trap small game, and eventually got a job working at the Kimberly Clark pulp and paper mill, driving logs up the jack ladder to meet their pulpy end.
Later, Ingo moved to Toronto for high school to take Business Management courses at R.H. King Academy. During his years in Toronto, he fell in love with a fellow Terrace Bay native, Molly McCausland, who was studying at Bishop Strachan School. They married in 1968 and had a wonderful 55-year marriage that produced two amazing children, Jennifer (Chris) and Peter (Jessica.)
After finishing high school, Ingo worked as a Property Administrator for Ontario Hydro, a job that had him travelling all across Southern Ontario. This, coupled with his Northern Ontario roots, gave Ingo an encyclopedic knowledge of every inch of the province. He could tell you where to go for lunch in Wawa, or how many stop signs there were in Punkydoodles Corners. (Just the two) After Toronto and then a brief stint in Barrie, the family eventually settled in Shanty Bay, Ontario, where Ingo delighted in having Grey Cup parties, pool parties, and just general everyday parties. He headed up the Shanty Bay Ratepayers Association and helped raise money to build the Shanty Bay Community Centre.
In 1992, Ingo was relocated to London, ON, by Ontario Hydro. He spent several years at the office on Highbury Avenue before retiring at the age of 54. His retirement was spent enjoying smoking trout, traveling to Port Stanley to buy fresh pickerel, and, of course, handing out $20 bills to his four grandchildren (Charlie, Hannah, Grace, and Remy).
Fondly referred to as the 'Duke of Dunedin Drive,' he also enjoyed sitting on his front porch and approving of (or disapproving of) the goings-on on his street and spent many hours with the Cherry Hill Gang, drinking coffee and buying scratch tickets at the Cherryhill Mall.
Ingo passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, April 27, 2024, at University Hospital in London at the age of 77. Our thanks to the doctors and staff for their generous care.
No funeral services will be held. Instead, please take five minutes of your day to yell at your TV, or to make a donation to The McCausland Hospital - via the North of Superior Healthcare Group (nosh.ca)
Our sincere condolences to CNN for losing their most dedicated viewer.
