In Loving Memory of Gerhild Emma Bertha Unny

Gerhild Emma Bertha Unny
1939 – 2025

Gerhild Emma Bertha Unny’s remarkable 85-year journey came to a peaceful end on October 5, 2025. Surrounded by love and comfort, she was released from her suffering and found rest.

Born in 1939 in Silesia, Gerhild’s early life was shaped by the upheaval of war. As a young child, she fled her homeland with her mother, aunt, and cousins, living as a refugee until the end of World War II. She was raised in East Germany and later moved to Dresden to pursue her studies to become a teacher. It was there that she met the love of her life, a doctoral student from Kerala, India – Dr. Tharakkal Eroman Unny. They married in Calcutta on April 16, 1963, beginning a rich life together that spanned continents and cultures.

The couple immigrated to West Germany in 1964 and then to Kitchener-Waterloo in 1965, eventually settling in St. Agatha in 1974. There, Gerhild realized her dream of building a home nestled in the forest — a sanctuary of peace and creativity. During her nearly three decades of “living in the forest”, she returned to college to study graphic design and went on to establish a business crafting and selling sandblasted wood art, merging her love for nature and the arts.

Following her husband’s untimely passing in 1991, Gerhild continued to live with strength and grace. In 2002, she relocated to Burlington, where she treasured living next door to her son and his family, taking regular trips to visit her daughter and her family in Germany, establishing new friendships and interests, and strolling the shores of Lake Ontario –particularly at Paletta Lakefront Park, a place she was very fond of.

Gerhild had a deep passion for the arts, classical music, and nature. Travel also richly shaped her life. With her professor husband, she spent a sabbatical year in Trinidad & Tobago in the mid-1970s and several months in Japan in the early 1980s. Both experiences enriched her and left a deep impression on her, even leading Gerhild to learn to speak and write Japanese. Over the years, she enjoyed cruises to Alaska and Panama as well as trips to Egypt, India, Australia, and many different countries, always seeking beauty and inspiration through nature and exploration.

Her life was filled with friendships that transcended borders and cultures. She deeply valued her friends, neighbours, and family. Gerhild will be profoundly missed by her daughter Indira, son-in-law Thomas, and granddaughters Nicole and Nadine in Germany, and by her son Roy, daughter-in-law Charmaine, and grandchildren Olivia and Ryan in Australia. Her family was the light of her life and is the heart of her legacy.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to her devoted personal caregivers in Burlington, to the staff at Chartwell Lakeshore Retirement Residence in Burlington, to the extraordinary team at Lanark Heights Long Term Care in Kitchener, and to the dedicated group of individuals who provided Gerhild with compassionate care and loving support in her final days when it mattered the most.

Messages of condolence may be shared at https://tranquilitycremation.com/. A celebration of Gerhild’s life will be held at a later date.

In Gerhild’s memory, please consider supporting your local arts community or planting a tree. To contribute to local reforestation efforts, visit https://www.reforestwoolwich.ca