Helmut Frederick Pfab

Helmut Frederick Pfab, 87, passed away on November 10, 2023 at home, surrounded by his beloved family. He is survived by his wife of 54 years Rosi Pfab, his children, Theodore and Gabriele, grandchildren, Brianna and Stephanie, his sister, Heidi Stenseng, nephew, Christian and niece, Laila. Helmut was born March 22, 1936 in Weiden, Germany. He apprenticed as a baker/pastry chef at 14 years of age. In January 1959, he immigrated to the United States. 11 months later he was drafted into the US Army and on graduation from Infantry school, he was assigned to duty in West Germany.

He saw active service when his battle group deployed from Mannheim to Berlin in August 1961 during what was to become the Berlin Crisis. As a member of the 1st Battle Group, 18th Infantry task force, it was Helmut unit that established the famous and now historical “Checkpoint Charlie”.

On return to the United States following his tour of duty, Helmut was honorably discharged, and returned to civilian life to continue his career as a master pastry chef.

For the next several years, he worked in beautiful resort hotels spending summers in Lake Placid, NY and winters in Palm Beach, FL producing fabulous cakes, desserts and other culinary delights. After several years, and on the strongest suggestions of his mother, Helmut was persuaded to return to Germany to pursue a proper Bavarian wife.

He soon found work at the Schwaiger Alm in the stunning Alps of southern Bavaria. It was there that he met a beautiful waitress named Rosi. They married in Munich in July of 1969 and Helmut, now with an instant family consisting of a wife and her young children, departed for the United States. They settled down in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, where Helmut, in partnership with another German couple, purchased a small local bakery.

After many years of hard work and raising their children, in 1982, Helmut and Rosi, began a new partnership with another couple and bought the famous B&W Bakery in Hackensack, New Jersey. It turned out to be a wise investment and after many more years of hard work they were able to conclude a very successful business career and retire.

For the past 17 years, Helmut and Rosi have enjoyed Sun City in Bluffton, SC making new friends and building a new life. He enjoyed coin collecting, being a member of the Veterans club, ballroom dancing, playing cards, traveling and eating ice cream. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather who was an incredibly generous and fun-loving man that never spoke ill of anyone. He was an example to all of us on how to live a great life. Hard working and organized, he provided for his beloved family. He lived a life of service and made the world a better place. He will be sorely missed.

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