Soehl, Horst – Age 84, of Cloverdale, passed away peacefully at home on April 14, 2026. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; sons, Thomas (Carol Ann) and Jon; grandchildren, Megan McNeil (Daniel) and Marie Coolsaet (Reid); and great-grandchildren, Louis, Elodie, Rory and Myles. He is also survived by his half-brother, Heiner Schmitt and step-sister, Maren Hayenga in Germany.
Horst was born in Buettel, Germany, and he went on to study veterinary medicine. The family moved to Canada in 1975 where he became district veterinarian for the Truro office of Agriculture Canada. The family was welcomed with generosity and kindness by the community of Brookfield in 1975 before moving to the farm in Cloverdale. He loved the farm and woodlot on the Stewiacke River and was its fierce defender against deer jackers and litterers.
He had an adventurous spirit and travelled to remote places in Canada (BC, Yukon, NWT, Labrador), Latin America and Zambia. He was a competitor and relished every game of tennis, pickleball and his favourite German card game, Skat. He was a gracious loser, which he did rarely. When he won it was not always with grace…
Above all, he was passionate about nature and animals, especially his dogs. Taking care of animals and alleviating their suffering was his calling. Safeguarding the farm as a refuge for deer, swallows, mushrooms and the plethora of other animals he catalogued over the years became his major preoccupation to the very end.
It was fitting that he passed on the same day that the spring peepers started singing again.
Final arrangements have not yet been made for a Celebration of Life.
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