Hans Joachimi, retired business owner

Joachimi

Hans Joachimi, 85, of Amherst, a retired business owner and volunteer firefighter, died Saturday, Sept. 30, 2006, in his home.

Born in Bonn, Germany, he moved to Western New York at age 8. He attended the University of Buffalo and served in the U.S. Army in World War II, receiving the Purple Heart.

Before and after the war, he worked at Bell Aero Space as a Lotts Man. In 1959 he co-founded Tonawanda Template in the City of Tonawanda. He retired in 1993 and his sons took over the business.

In 1974, Mr. Joachimi became a member of the Elliott Creek Fire Co. and served as its financial secretary from 1982 until his death, the longest tenure in department history.

Mr. Joachimi loved gardening and animals and was an avid bowler.

Mr. Joachimi is survived by his wife, the former Elaine Fuller; two sons, Thomas and William; two daughters, Gail Calandra and Lynn Sickler; five stepchildren, Layne Cutrone, Melinda Harrington, Patrice Eggleston, Dona Napoli and William Murray; a sister, Inge Hayden; 17 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Tuesday, Oct. 3 in St. Christopher's Catholic Church after prayers in Amigone Funeral Home.