Bidding Farewell to H.E. Vice President Col. retd. Reinhard Wassertheurer Grand Marshal of the Knighthood of Honour 9. September 2013
With deepest regrets we have the sad duty to inform about the demise of our friend, comrade, and great person Col. retd. Reinhard Wasserteurer.
Col. retd. Reinhard Wassertheurer has been called into the Great Army on August 16th, 2013 at 15:00 in Vienna‘s Wilhelminenspital after long bravely endured illness. By his demise we lose not only our Vice President, Commander, and Great Marshal of the Lazarus Union Knighthood of Honour but also a wonderful person, comrade, and a good friend, valued, respected, and loved.
Our thoughts and our deepest regrets in these hours are also with his wife Theresa and his family and we ask God to accept his immortal soul with mercy and immediately into the eternal Heaven.
Ceremonial farewell was held on September 9th, 2013, with a large attendance. The dignified and solemn ceremony was performed by Vienna‘s Military Command, the Guards Regiment together with a detachment of the Guard regiment‘s Music Corps as well as the Lazarus Union and its Knighthood of Honour, which together with military comrades honoured the deceased with a full colour guard. Also the Lazarus Union Honour Guard presenting the colours and the Lazarus Union Music Corps participated.
Many alumni comrades from the Military Academy attended also, headed by Vienna‘s Military Commander Brig. Mag Kurt Wagner.
The clerical funeral eulogy was held by Military Senior DDr. Karl-Reinhart Trauner. A secular funeral eulogy was given by Lazarus Union President, Senator h.c. Wolfgang Steinhardt in emotional moving words. Finally the last military commander of Col. Reinhard Wassertheurer, Vienna‘s Military Commander Brig. Mag Kurt Wagner insisted on giving also a military funeral eulogy.
After the songs „Nearer, My God, to Thee“ and „I had a comrade“ (performed together by the the Guard regiment‘s Music Corps and the Lazarus Union Music Corps) the ceremony had a dignified and worthy ending. Many of the participating mourners, traditional unions, colour guards, and delegations had to fight back their tears.
Rest in peace, Reinhard and hold your protecting hand over us.
| Obituary for Colonel retd. Reinhard Wassertheurer 10.07.1952 – 16.08.2013 by Wolfgang Steinhardt |
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Spiritual Dignitaries! The following lines came into my mind on the night following the dismaying news when I had to learn that my dear friend and comrade passed away at the age of 62 after losing his brave fight against cancer and being called into the Great Army. I got up and took them down on a piece of paper. Is it then so strange, dear Reinhard, I want to give this comforting wisdom for the road to all who lament our dear Reinhard together with us. It shows us the circle of life, the fate, but also the hope remaining for us as the mundane life is but a short glimpse in the eternal circle of the universe and that there will be a reunion. I firmly believe in this! I have no siblings but if I had a brother I would have wanted him to be like Reinhard. As a Vice President in the Lazarus Union he was more than my closest colleague. First and foremost he was a friend, an advisor, and a patient listener. He was loyal, reliable, and understanding. He was an exemplary comrade, functionary, and a dedicated soldier. He was a caring husband and father. For me he was like a brother and I would have loved most to hand the office of president of the Lazarus Union over to him next year. It was not granted to him to enjoy his well earned retirement for a longer time but even in this short period he made a difference more often than others during their whole life. Reinhard leaves a void hardly to be filled again. I am ever so grateful to fate for bringing the two of us together. Before any difficult future decision I will ask myself, what would Reinhard have thought and done? You will continue to live in my heart forever, my dear Reinhard! He was granted a happy and harmonious marriage. He could spend all these years at the side of his wife in happiness and contentment. A mercy not granted to everyone! So we all can feel the pain and sorrow remaining as a partner loved so dearly has passed away, a partner one could fully rely on. I want thank all those from my deepest heart who gave their comradeship, friendship, love, and esteem to Reinhard. God knows he really earned all this! Especially I want to thank Theresa, his dear wife, who has so bravely endured the difficult previous months and always gave him courage to face life. In her thoughts she is with you, dear Reinhard, just as our thoughts are with her to give her a little rest and comfort in this difficult time. By the death of a comrade, a friend, one loses much but never the time one spent together with him. We all will need much strength to remember the inevitable! Now is the time to say farewell to you, yet I am convinced that there will be a reunion. Because there is in giving, receiving. With the following tune your comrades from the Lazarus Union bid you farewell. It shall accompany you as our last greeting on your final way on earth and we remember you in love, in friendship, and in respect. You will be missed a lot! Goodbye, dearest Reinhard and hold your protecting hand over us. |
