Erich Binder was born in Zwettl, Austria a small northern village near the Czech border which was a few hours from Vienna on April 22, 1929 and passed away on April 26, 2018. He was a happy, fun loving man and was 89 years and 4 days young. Erich immigrated to Canada in 1953 and worked as a Certified Diver in Lake Ontario. He became friends best with Alois Bemmer, also a fellow immigrant. They went out to the German Club and he met a very beautiful young German girl from Berlin named Ilse (Lilo) Lieselotta Freyer and her girlfriend and best friend Anneliese Jenichen. They were married April 10, 1961. Anneliese and and Alois were married shortly after that. My father knew how to have a good time and would take mom singing and dancing with their friends. My father loved when mom would sing. She had a voice like an angel and she knew all of the old folk songs. Dad would take her on road trips and they would end up camping most of North America. They loved to travel and do water sports. Erich had his own boat which he refurbished and would water ski or be diving whenever he could. They loved camping in Honey Harbour on the islands. A few years later they had a cute beautiful baby boy named Herbert on June 5, 1966. He did his best to teach his son and was always there for him when things went sideways. Later in the 80's he found his passion for Windsurfing. He loved the sport and met many, many people. Everybody knew him, and he did it enthusiastically until the age of 82 when he was catapulted by a gust of wind and he decided it was time to retire his equipment. He loved his tools and machine shop. He was creatively gifted and self-taught. Nothing was a problem for him. He loved building things and built most of the furniture and additions to their home. He was incredibly generous and would help anyone in need. Dad loved being outdoors in the garden with his wife Lilo. He enjoyed sitting in his chair and talking with the neighbors, John and Linda, who he loved very much and thought of them as his "kids". He enjoyed exploring the forest behind their house and loved riding his bike right until last summer. Everyone knew him, loved him and respected him. All though he never became a Jehovah's Witness like his wife, at the end he acknowledged her beliefs. He will be remembered and sadly missed by his wife, Lilo, son, Herbert, and daughter in law, Olga, and many other friends and people he touched while on this earth. We love you and miss you.
