Obituary for John Georg Schropp
Schropp, Johann Georg (John)
(1933.11.25 – 2022.06.07)
Passed away peacefully in his 89th year on Tuesday, June 7th , 2022, after a long and fulfilling life.
Predeceased by his beloved wife Gudrun. Loving father of Hans-Peter (Pamela), Christina
(Christoph) and Bernhard (Beth). Opa to Caitlin, Graham and Madeleine Schropp; Alexander,
Kathrina and Nathalie Wedermann; Tyler and Rebecca Schropp. Dearest brother to Annemarie
Kuntz, Alois Schropp (predeceased), Else Osbelt, Carl Schropp & Hilde Walchaeusl.
Unser Lieber Hans, Papa, Opa, Gatte, Onkel & Bruder. Our dear John.
He was a true artist at heart. From Hals, Passau, Germany, he was both a musician and a
Moebel Baumeister/Shreinermeister (Master Carpenter) who pursued the Canadian dream for
better opportunities. In the fall of 1956, he traded his beloved motorcycle for a $150 in his back
pocket and arrived at Pier 21 in Halifax, setting down roots in the community of Kitchener.
Beginning with a short stint at Kitchener’s Electrohome, crafting television cabinets on an
assembly line, John quickly left to start a home building company with his brother-in-law, Paul
Kuntz. Within a few years, John Schropp Builder Ltd was born where John combined his own
meticulous craftmanship, personal architectural design with contemporary influences, and his
40-year custom home building career took off. He built hundreds of homes throughout and
beyond the Tri-Cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge and received many awards
throughout the years. He worked alongside Canadian architects Arthur Erickson and Brian
Brisbin and capped off his career developing the beautiful Kitchener subdivision, Manchester
Greene.
In addition to his professional work, John always held a passion for music, influenced by early
involvement with village brass bands in Hals, Germany, and sustained through later years of
performances alongside his upright double bass in “The Rhythmic Five” Oktoberfest Band. He
was the first president of the Breslau, Bloomingdale Maryhill Community Band and was a long-
time member of the Waterloo Regional Police Band.
He met the love of his life, the beautiful redheaded Gundl, on the dance floor and they shared
56 wonderful years in Breslau, filled with family, friends and travel. He was blessed with three
children who he not only taught to ski at Chicopee Ski Hill and windsurf on Blackstone Lake, but
for whom he demonstrated that hard work and perseverance would pay dividends throughout
life.
John was the greatest storyteller, with a “movie-like memory” that entertained his family and
friends for hours and had a laugh that lit up any room he was in. When you became John’s
friend, you would stay friends for life. Although his heart would yearn for his Heimat Bayern in
later years, he was grateful for the opportunity and professional successes he found in his new
home of Canada, which became the foundation for his growing family and the next generations
to come.
A visitation will take place at Henry Walser Funeral Home Wednesday, June 22, 2022, from
6:00-8:00 p.m. and a funeral mass will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 23, 2022, at
St. Mary’s R.C. Church,56 Duke Street, Kitchener followed by a reception afterward at St Francis
Church Hall, 49 Blueridge Ave, Kitchener. Those unable to attend the mass are welcome to join via
live stream at https://www.henrywalser.com/live-streaming
As expressions of sympathy, donations to Conestoga College Institute of Technology &
Advanced Learning (https://www.conestogacommunity.ca/john-schropp) would be appreciated
by the family.
Visit www.henrywalser.com for John’s memorial.
(1933.11.25 – 2022.06.07)
Passed away peacefully in his 89th year on Tuesday, June 7th , 2022, after a long and fulfilling life.
Predeceased by his beloved wife Gudrun. Loving father of Hans-Peter (Pamela), Christina
(Christoph) and Bernhard (Beth). Opa to Caitlin, Graham and Madeleine Schropp; Alexander,
Kathrina and Nathalie Wedermann; Tyler and Rebecca Schropp. Dearest brother to Annemarie
Kuntz, Alois Schropp (predeceased), Else Osbelt, Carl Schropp & Hilde Walchaeusl.
Unser Lieber Hans, Papa, Opa, Gatte, Onkel & Bruder. Our dear John.
He was a true artist at heart. From Hals, Passau, Germany, he was both a musician and a
Moebel Baumeister/Shreinermeister (Master Carpenter) who pursued the Canadian dream for
better opportunities. In the fall of 1956, he traded his beloved motorcycle for a $150 in his back
pocket and arrived at Pier 21 in Halifax, setting down roots in the community of Kitchener.
Beginning with a short stint at Kitchener’s Electrohome, crafting television cabinets on an
assembly line, John quickly left to start a home building company with his brother-in-law, Paul
Kuntz. Within a few years, John Schropp Builder Ltd was born where John combined his own
meticulous craftmanship, personal architectural design with contemporary influences, and his
40-year custom home building career took off. He built hundreds of homes throughout and
beyond the Tri-Cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge and received many awards
throughout the years. He worked alongside Canadian architects Arthur Erickson and Brian
Brisbin and capped off his career developing the beautiful Kitchener subdivision, Manchester
Greene.
In addition to his professional work, John always held a passion for music, influenced by early
involvement with village brass bands in Hals, Germany, and sustained through later years of
performances alongside his upright double bass in “The Rhythmic Five” Oktoberfest Band. He
was the first president of the Breslau, Bloomingdale Maryhill Community Band and was a long-
time member of the Waterloo Regional Police Band.
He met the love of his life, the beautiful redheaded Gundl, on the dance floor and they shared
56 wonderful years in Breslau, filled with family, friends and travel. He was blessed with three
children who he not only taught to ski at Chicopee Ski Hill and windsurf on Blackstone Lake, but
for whom he demonstrated that hard work and perseverance would pay dividends throughout
life.
John was the greatest storyteller, with a “movie-like memory” that entertained his family and
friends for hours and had a laugh that lit up any room he was in. When you became John’s
friend, you would stay friends for life. Although his heart would yearn for his Heimat Bayern in
later years, he was grateful for the opportunity and professional successes he found in his new
home of Canada, which became the foundation for his growing family and the next generations
to come.
A visitation will take place at Henry Walser Funeral Home Wednesday, June 22, 2022, from
6:00-8:00 p.m. and a funeral mass will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 23, 2022, at
St. Mary’s R.C. Church,56 Duke Street, Kitchener followed by a reception afterward at St Francis
Church Hall, 49 Blueridge Ave, Kitchener. Those unable to attend the mass are welcome to join via
live stream at https://www.henrywalser.com/live-streaming
As expressions of sympathy, donations to Conestoga College Institute of Technology &
Advanced Learning (https://www.conestogacommunity.ca/john-schropp) would be appreciated
by the family.
Visit www.henrywalser.com for John’s memorial.