Maryke Mueller was born on June 15, 1936 in The Hague Holland to her father, William, her mother, Camilla and brother Bob. Her family’s heritage was a mixture of Dutch, French and German descent. Maryke grew up in Holland and attended a girls cooking school. She often told us of these experiences, which included stories of playful mischief and meatball fights. She travelled back several times to visit and returned with gifts like muisjes for her children and grandchildren. She recalled Holland in fond memory.

She came to Canada in 1952 to visit her brother in the city of Toronto. While she was here she supposedly “bumped into” a man by the name of Helmut Scherer in the local swimming pool. Helmut (my grandfather) has told me that after arriving in a country foreign to him, he had been excited to speak his native language of German again with Maryke. She spoke and wrote in several languages and always enjoyed talking. They were married in 1953 and had two children Richard and Norma Scherer. They lived in Owen Sound until 1960 when they were divorced, afterwhich she moved to Kitchener.   

I’ve been told my grandmother sewed some of both of her daughter’s clothing .She loved to play the radio from morning to night and was always busy cooking, cleaning, singing and taking care of the children. I can recall her singing love songs loudly and that she always had romantic/italian music playing in her home. She often spoke of love and it’s paralyzing effects with large flamboyant gestures.

“When you’re in love, you can’t even move,”  she would say.

In Kitchener she worked as a dance teacher, where she met Helmut Hecker who came in for a few lessons. They were married in 1961 and had two children Helmut and Elizabeth.

Mr. Hecker owned his own plastering business and grandma helped him with the payroll and bookkeeping. Something I will always remember is receiving the birthday and christmas cheques she wrote using a typewriter that had once been for the business.

Maryke was a waitress for a time. She would tell me that the most important part of being a good server was to make sure the beer glasses were always really really cold. She would keep them in the freezer so that when the regulars arrived they would be happy with the coldest beer.

She lived a life of fashionable attire, excellent food and lavish decor. I recall visiting her for Thanksgiving and going to Oktoberfest. I’ll never forget my grandmother scoping me up during my awkward teenage years and spinning me about the dance floor at the Concordia Club. The polka is a dizzying dance and I still wonder how anyone does this with beer in the belly. Liverwurst, schinzel, Scooby Doo and cherry cheesecake are things I’ll remember.

Grandma was a larger than life character and someone people remembered. She was a true individual with a presence and flamboyant expressive nature. She was always real, raw and alive. She kept up on current events and sports, mainly soccer. She was known for talking up a stranger and for warmly greeting old friends who she ran into around Kitchener. She loved her cats, big hair, fur coats and red lipstick. I will never forget her filling up our entire answering machine almost every time she called and of course her famous “aahhkkk” she uttered in protest.

She died on the morning of November 14 in the company of her son Helmut at her home in Kitchener. She was survived by her children Richard, Norma, Helmut  and Elizabeth and her grandchildren Chad, Michael, Laura, Becky, Sarah and Samantha. She left an impression on this world that will never be forgotten. We will remember you, Maryke, with love in our hearts.