Johann Ohlerth

Lieber Hans

Ruhe in Frieden

The times I got to be with Hans in my life was short. The fews times I did spend time with him he was also respectful and understanding. He welcomed me to the family with open arms and I will never forget that. Rest in peace.

Opa, I have an email to you that never got sent (I hadn’t finished my reply, and I was late, as usual) - but I hope that there are some messages that can transcend mediums. I won’t write the text here (you didn’t miss much). But I was always grateful to you for taking the time to reach out. I was speaking with someone recently and they said that you never usually get to know the impact you have on someone’s life. Sorry to have left you guessing. My time in Germany showed me a whole other world: and not just on the globe but also from a totally different time. Your curiosity and knowledge inspired a life-long love of history, of questioning (!) and seeking to understand. There was a thrill in the finding, but also the satisfaction in re-building. And there are absolute parallels between our traipsing around a Roman dig near Trier (with the metal detector!) and my later traipsing around a dig in Jordan to complete a degree in archaeology. I re-built a few (smaller) pots myself, and was humbled again by your epic reconstruction effort. I didn’t become a Classicist (but I married one - and a numismatist to boot!). I’m always careful with my use of “can” (and had several of your handy grammar tips at the ready when I was teaching in Japan). All that to say: thank you. For instructing, and for inspiring. My thoughts and love go out to Oma, Catrin, Cedine, Cyannea - and all who are missing and remembering you. Ashley

Lieber Hans, wir wünschen dir eine gute Reise zu deinem neuen Garten. Du richtest dir bestimmt eine schöne Ecke ein und vielleicht triffst du ja auch Tanja dort wieder. Deiner Familie wünschen wir viel Kraft und viele schöne Erinnerungen an dich. Die Familien Kertels.