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Georg Steinmeyer Obituary

Georg Friedrich Steinmeyer

1924 - 2015 VERNON Georg Fried-rich Steinmeyer, 91, of Vernon, passed away on Thursday, April 9, at Vernon Green Nursing Home. He was born in Oettingen, Bavaria, Germany on March 1, 1924. Upon completion of high school, he was immediately drafted into the German Army. His obligatory military service during World War II included infantry action in Yugoslavia, the Russian front, and Denmark. At the conclusion of World War II he began his formal training as an organ builder in his family's business, Steinmeyer Organ Company. He traveled to the United States for the first time in 1950 as part of a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor for technical cooperation with other governments. He apprenticed with the Aeolian Skinner Organ Company. During this time he met the renowned organist E. Power Biggs with whom in traveled in 1954 to record for Columbia Records historic and other significant organs in Southern Germany. In 1953, he met his wife, Hanne, at an American School in Nurnberg and married in 1954. In 1955, they immigrated to United States with their first daughter, Charlotte, and settled in Brattleboro heading up the pipe organ division of the Estey Organ Company. First and foremost, Georg considered himself an organ builder. After the closure of the Estey Organ Company, his love for Vermont kept him in Brattleboro. He worked as Fuller Brush man, worked in life insurance, and eventually began working for the School for International Training in 1964. While working he earned a Master's Degree in 1974 from the University of Massachusetts in Education Administration - despite never having completed college. In 1974 he began working at Amherst High School, first as an assistant Principal and then as Department Chair for Foreign Languages at the Junior/Senior High School and German Teacher. He retired in 1992. Georg was an active board member and President of both the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of German as well as the Massachusetts Association of Foreign Language Teachers. In 2000, he was honored as Massachusetts German Educator of the Year. In 1975 in Amherst, Mass., he initiated an exchange program with a college preparatory high school in Germany in which both Amherst and Brattleboro High School Students participated and the program continues to this day. Throughout his life in Brattleboro he was a strong supporter in many ways of the Brattleboro Music Center, which gave him and his wife great joy. Since his retirement he was a consultant for the School for International Training language proficiency testing, he served on the board of the Vermont Arts Council, the Brattleboro Music Center and the New England Bach Festival. He was also a Charter member of the Estey Organ Museum, a member of the Speakers Bureau of the Vermont Humanities Council and an active member of the Organ Historical Society. Georg had a love of traveling, adventure, and learning about other cultures. He traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe. He also traveled to Japan, The People's Republic of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. He loved the outdoors; especially cross country skiing and kayaking. He loved photography, and classical and organ music. Georg will be remembered for his endless positive spirit, optimism, enthusiasm, his love of learning and never give up attitude. He is predeceased by his wife of 60 years, Hanne, in 2015; and a daughter, Charlotte, in 1971. He is survived by a daughter, Elisabeth Luke and her husband, John, of Shorewood, Minn.; and three grandsons, Tanner, Keaton, and Justin. FUNERAL NOTICE: A Funeral Service will be celebrated on Saturday. May 23, at 11 a.m. at St. Michael's Episcopal Church, 16 Bradley Ave, Brattleboro, VT 05301. The KER-WESTERLUND FUNERAL HOME is assisting the family with arrangements. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Brattleboro Music Center, 38 Walnut St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. Condolences may be offered at www.kerwesterlund.com.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Brattleboro Reformer on Apr. 11, 2015.

Memories and Condolences
for Georg Steinmeyer

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janet lyman

September 13, 2015

georg, am missing you as you taught me more german in a half year than i could have picked up at all. liked the way you taught me and then my son got a chance to meet you when he was still in high school and well went through 4 years of it and really loved every minute of it. really gained a respect for life and to live it to my fullest! janet lyman and natty cook

Tami Wessel

May 24, 2015

Frau Steinmeyer was my German teacher at BUHS. Herr Steinmeyer coordinated my school exchange program to Bergisch-Gladbach in the early 1980's. Both were wonderful teachers and allowed me an great international travel experience I would not have had without them.

April 20, 2015

Georg was my cooperating teaching at ARHS. I was a German major at UMass and did my student teaching under him. I learned a lot from him, not just about teaching but about life. He was also helpful to me as young German teacher just starting out.I,too, brought students to Germany for 4 weeks, having had his support and encouragement.His love of classical music was infectious, from which I also benefitted. He left a positive mark on this inerth through his commitment to educacation anc classical music. My sympathies to his family.L.C. formerly of Boston, since 1998 in Zurich

Otto Loeffler

April 19, 2015

My deepest sympathy. My name is Otto Loeffler and Oettingen i. Bay. is also
my birth town. I has confirmation with the nice Sybille Steinmeyer in the year
1967. I live at Gunzenhausen 15 miles from Oettingen.

Tina Gorton

April 18, 2015

I had the pleasure of getting to know Georg when he would come intO Bakers It was always great to hear what he was doing. Usually making copies for a journal he was writing for his grandchildren. I had the pleasure of going whitewater rafting with him one fall. He always talked about Hanne. He will be missed and I was blessed to know him

Carla Spivack

April 17, 2015

I have many fond memories of Herr Steinmeyer from German class at Amherst Regional High. He taught me much - not just German grammar, but lessons about communication and understanding among people as well.

April 13, 2015

Such a wonderful couple they spent a lot of time in True Value on Putney Rd over the years he was a polite wonderful gentleman and his wife was so sweet

Melissa Mann Scholz

April 13, 2015

Hanne was my German teacher at BUHS, Georg led my first trip to Germany in 1980. I also ended up majoring in German and have lived in Germany for almost 30 years, thanks to their positive influence. I have many wonderful memories of the two of them and am so glad that my kids were able to meet them a few years ago. Georg was a special person with such an enthusiastic, contagious attitude and personality.

Charlotta Eissfeld

April 12, 2015

Georg was my German teacher while I was at SIT. He was a kind and understanding man. Deepest sympathy to the Steinmeyer family.

Betsey Hawley Monnot

April 11, 2015

Herr Steinmeyer was my German teacher at Amherst high school. I traveled to Germany twice with the exchange program he established. I wound up majoring in German in college-- he was a real influence on my life. I remember his energy and cheerfulness, and his innovative teaching style. What a wonderful man!

Cindy Kidd

April 11, 2015

My heart is saddened for the loss of Georg. His positive spirit and love for his family will always be remembered.

Missy Foy

April 11, 2015

May Georg Hanne & Charlotte be reunited in heaven! XO

julia luke

April 10, 2015

Georg will be missed but always remembered.

Showing 1 - 13 of 13 results

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