Obituary of Waldemar Scholtes

To view the recording of the funeral service, please click here.

Waldemar Scholtes passed away reluctantly on February 14, 2026 in Grand River Hospital at the age of 81.

Born as a refugee from Bistritz, Hungary (present-day Romania) on November 10, 1944 in Reichenberg (Liberec), Czechoslovakia, he was predeceased by his parents, Walter Scholtes and Rosina, née Tinnes (Penteker), brother Dietmar and sister-in-law Lenie Scholtes, brother-in-law Rudi Droefke, sister Hildegard Lindschinger, niece Ingrid Scholtes and nephew Robert's son, Logan Droefke.

He is survived by his dear wife, Pieternella Scholtes, the joys of their lives: sons Matthias (Erika) and Marcus (Sharon) and grand-children Tristan and Lana, and his sister Waldtraut Droefke of Walkerton and brothers-in-law Werner Lindschinger (Marilyn) of Kitchener and Jack Bolle (Brenda) of Southampton along with their extended families.

He was a lifelong member of the Transylvania Club and Bethel Lutheran Church (LCC) and will be remembered by relatives, friends and colleagues in Canada and Europe.

As a musician, Dr. Scholtes performed with dance and show bands in Canada and Europe, conducted the BBM concert band (Breslau), and was Director of Music (for over 40 years) of the German congregations of Bethel Lutheran Church (13.5 years) and St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Kitchener (26.5 years), and as a teacher, his activities ranged from a private music studio, to High School music & language teacher, and University language teacher, culminating in his favourite position as Professor of German at the University of Guelph.  As proprietor of Scholtes Editions, he has published books privately, mostly dealing with Transylvanian Saxon literature, and Scholtes Editions is the publishing venture of his and his family’s musical compositions and arrangements (father Walter & son Marcus); the materials are published at SheetMusicPlus and SheetMusicDirect under the auspices of the Hal Leonard Music Company in the USA. 

Thank you to doctors, nurses of the fifth-floor stroke and ICU at Grand River Hospital for their excellent care and concern.

Visitation will be held at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., Waterloo on Tuesday, February 17 from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.  The funeral service will take place on Thursday, February 19 at 11 a.m. at Bethel Lutheran Church, 47 Sheldon Ave. N., Kitchener officiated by Pastor Davi Schmidt.  A livestream of the service will be available on Waldemar’s tribute page at www.erbgood.com.  Following the service, the family will greet relatives and friends for a time of fellowship and lunch in the basement of the church.  Committal service at Woodland Cemetery, Kitchener. 

Memorial donations to Bethel Lutheran Church, Kitchener and the Alliance of Transylvanian Saxons in Canada (Landsmannschaft der Siebenbürger Sachsen in Kanada) would be welcome and greatly appreciated and can be arranged through the funeral home at www.erbgood.com or 519-745-8445.