Hellmuth Bickenbach

Hellmuth Bickenbach

Naples, FL

Hellmuth Bickenbach passed Thursday night in his sleep while holding the hand of his beloved wife of 37 years, Veronica, and his dog Teddy at his feet. He died at his home on the beach in Naples, FL where his wife had tirelessly cared for him during his long battle with Parkinson's disease.

Hellmuth was born in Germany in 1931. He grew up in poverty during World War II, which instilled in him a strong work ethic that defined him. He pursued a degree in Engineering in Munich and a MBA from the Centre D'Etude Industriele Geneva. Subsequently, he followed in his father's footsteps beginning a long career in the automotive industry working for Ford Motor Company. Hellmuth rose through the ranks of Ford until he was General Manager of the Transmission and Chassis Division. His work with Ford brought him to England where he met his wife Veronica. She was instantly charmed when she came across him eating the petals off a tulip at a party. They were married and raised two sons, Kai and Mark. The family immigrated to America in 1978 and has remained there ever since.

Hellmuth was a wonderful father who instilled in his sons the strong work ethic that defined him and a high value for education. Following his father's footsteps, Mark obtained a degree in engineering and then obtained a MBA from Harvard. He is now a successful executive. Kai pursued an MD and then entered into a career in surgery. He completed his training with a fellowship for Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and is now an Oncologic surgeon.

Hellmuth was an avid sailor who spent the majority of his weekends sailing with his family and GPYC friends, or maintaining his boats. His greatest joy was to spend his summers sailing in the Georgian Bay with his family by his side. He was also passionate about skiing and enjoyed family ski vacations. His love of motorcycles, fencing, and his passion for building intricate model sail boats contributed to his full life.

He will be remembered by his beloved wife, Veronica; his sons, Mark and Kai, their wives, Rachel and Nikki, his granddaughters, Theadora, Sophia and Isabella, and countless friends who will miss him immensely. He's a hard act to follow. He certainly exuded Teutonic German charm!

For online condolences, visit fullerfuneralhome.com.