Obituary of Horst Martin

April 22, 1940 - Poznan, Poland
September 19, 2023 - Calgary, Alberta

Horst Martin of Calgary, Alberta, passed away on Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at the age of 83 years.

Horst was born in Poznan, Poland to German parents during WWII. He spent his youth in Rheinstetten Mörsch and attended university in Giessen and Marburg, Germany. In 1963, Horst’s sense of adventure took him from his German homeland to the United States of America where he attended Kansas State University and received his PhD from Tulane University in 1969. Horst taught at the Hochschule für Erziehung at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen, Germany and held a professorship at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada from 1965 to 1989. He then spent six years at Hawthorne Books in Victoria, British Columbia before retiring and moving to Calgary, Alberta in 2008. 

He will be most remembered for his passion for life’s simple gifts – a family meal, beautiful flowers and joyous music. We will miss his infectious smile.

Horst is survived by his daughters, Christiane and Andrea, and their families: the Elsers – Tom, Jesse, Mathias and Aaron & the Blairs - Josh, Ethan and Henry.

A Private Family Service will be held to celebrate of Horst’s life. Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Horst’s family here.

In living memory of Horst Martin, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.