Hans Peter Wiedemann

Obituary For Hans Peter Wiedemann

Hans Peter Wiedemann, 88, of Huntington, NY passed away peacefully on the evening of September 19, 2025 with his devoted wife Carol Weitner by his side. He bravely faced a year-and-a-half-long battle against pancreatic cancer and its effects. Born in Hamburg, Germany on June 11, 1937, he was the son of the late Ernst Johannes and Gertrud (Hartig) Wiedemann. As his birth mother passed away when he was a young child, his father remarried Wilma (Wessel) and together they raised Hans Peter, his late sister Ingeborg (Wiedemann) Byrnes and his three step siblings, Frido Greve, the late Hildegard Greve, and the late Walter Greve.

Hans Peter grew up in Germany and began his career in the shipping and transportation industry in Bremen, Germany and Rotterdam in the Netherlands. In 1964 he moved to New York, where he worked as an insurance claims adjuster at Carl F. Ewig, Inc. Hans was active in the vibrant German community in New York City, and met his first wife Trude (Hinderer) at the German YMCA in NYC. They married and raised two children on Long Island, with frequent trips to Germany to visit relatives from both sides of the family. Hans and his family spent two years in Arlington Heights, IL when his company asked him to establish its Chicago office. He then returned to New York to take up a public relations executive role as the U.S. representative of the Ports of Bremen and Bremerhaven and of Frankfurt Airport.

Hans was a coach for his daughter's soccer teams, sang in the choir for many years at Christ Lutheran Church in East Northport, NY, and served on the board of the German Seamen's Mission in New York. Later in life, Hans worked to bring German bands to the U.S. to perform, and organized sightseeing tours for the bands. For many years he was the voice announcing the week's results of the Bundesliga's soccer matches on a local radio program. He also served as a volunteer driver for the U.S. Open tennis tournament.

Tragically, after 29 years of marriage, Hans' first wife Trude passed away from cancer in 1996. Hans was blessed to find love again and was married to Carol Weitner in 1999. Hans and Carol traveled together to Europe and Canada, and enjoyed annual trips to Vermont and Boston. Hans was Carol's biggest fan and promoter, as she is an accomplished pianist and organist. Together they arranged for Carol to perform recitals and concerts in churches throughout Europe and the U.S., with Hans devotedly serving as page turner for her sheet music. They spent 26 wonderful years together enjoying their shared interests of music, travel, puzzles, crosswords, Scrabble, and cats.

Hans was a man of deep faith, and in retirement he was called to become a deacon of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA). As a deacon, he served at Christ Lutheran Church in East Northport, NY, and also visited and served people of all faiths at nursing homes on Long Island. Hans will be remembered as an inveterate storyteller, aficionado of German food and drink, and devoted contributor to many charitable causes.

Hans will be missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his wife, Carol Weitner; his son Ralf Wiedemann of Elkins Park, PA and his wife Ouliana; his daughter Michelle Gray of Wrentham, MA and her husband Matthew; his niece Kristina McVeigh of Medford, NY and her husband Brian; his nephew Alexander Greve of Schenefeld, Germany; five beloved grandchildren, Nathan, Sarah, Lukas, Sofia and Andrew; and two beloved grand-nephews, Jacob and Miles.

Calling hours will be held on Thursday, October 2, 2025 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at Brueggemann Funeral Home, 522 Larkfield Road, East Northport, NY. A funeral service will be held the following day on Friday, October 3, 2025 at 11:00 am at St. John's Episcopal Church, 1670 Rte. 25A, Cold Spring Harbor, NY. Donations in memory of Hans Peter Wiedemann to Seafarers International House in New York are encouraged: https://www.sihnyc.org/

Services

2 Oct

Memorial Visitation

06:00 PM - 08:00 PM

Brueggemann Funeral Home 522 Larkfield Road East Northport, NY 11731 Get Directions »
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3 Oct

Funeral Service

11:00 AM

St. John's Episcopal Church 1670 Rte 25A Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724 Get Directions »
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by Obituary Assistant