FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED FUNERAL HOMES SINCE 1881
| Ulrich A. Both |
| October 26, 1929 - January 19, 2021 |
|
|
|
Public Events and LocationsViewing - Thursday, January 28, 2021, 12:00 to 1:00 PM at Wetzel and Son, Willow GroveGraveside Service - Thursday, January 28, 2021, 1:45 PM at Sunset Memorial Park, Huntingdon Valley |
ContactsFuneral Home - Wetzel and Son Funeral Home - 501 Easton Road, Willow Grove, PA 19090 - 215-659-0911 - Map |
| Clergy - Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church - 14100 Worthington Road, Philadelphia, PA 19116 - 215-464-1540 - Map |
| Cemetery - Sunset Memorial Park - 333 West County Line Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 - 215-357-8440 - Map |
| Family Florist - Kremp Florist - 220 Davisville Road, Willow Grove, PA 19090 - 215-657-6700 - Map |
| Donation - The German Society of Pennsylvania - 611 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123 - 215-627-2332 - Map |
The family has composed the following obituary information:
Ulrich Both was born in Johannesburg, East Prussia, Germany, second son to August Both and Emilia Strandt in 1929, a city now known as Kaliningrad, havin been annexed by Russia after WWII. At the age of 11, Ulrich moved with his mother, older brother Helmut, and younger sister Lenchen to Hamburg, where he soon served as an apprentice to a tool and die maker for the German Railroad. This training led to work for various German manufacturing companies during and after the War.
At 23, during what was to be a summer vacation, visiting his uncle, Robert Both, (a German baker in Philadelphia who had emigrated before the Great Depression) Ulrich decided to stay in the US, gaining his US citizenship in a matter of 6 months. Learning English and assimilating very quickly as a naturalized American came very easily to him. He took his first job with a tool maker, Progressive Manufacturing and then with Atlantic Manufacturing Inc. in Philadelphia. He attended the local German clubs and dances offered to the growing German community. And soon met his bride to be Ella Suttmann.
When the Korean War broke out he was drafted into the US Army. It was 1954 and he and Ella decided to marry before he started duty, where his machine training and knowledge were once again utilized. Upon his discharge from the army 2 years later, he returned to Philadelphia and Atlantic Manufacturing Inc. He quickly rose up the company ladder and seeing so much opportunity that by 1961 founded his own company, Trubo Machine, in partnership with who would be a life long friend, Hans Trustorff.
The same year he moved his wife and now 2 sons to Cheltenham, PA, designing and building a cutting edge mid-century modern house himself. By 1962 he bought Hans Trustorffs’ share of the firm and started his own business, U.A.B. Manufacturing Inc., a precision machine part factory, which was located in Philadelphia. In 1973, he moved the business and headquarters to Southampton, PA. It was here that he became co- founder of UAB peripheral technology, a manufacturer of magnetic tape drives and founder of Valco industrial Corporation, a manufacturer of coolant inducers used for high speed drilling applications in manufacturing. He served as president until his retirement and sale of the business in 1998.
He and Ella resided in Cheltenham, PA until moving to Doylestown PA in 1990, where he built and rehabbed an historic Bucks county hostel and 17 acre parcel into an award winning estate. Ulrich spent his free time during the summers at his favorite beach, Ocean City, New Jersey from 1973 to 2010, where he and Ella had acquired a vacation home at Boardwalk and Park Place.
He was always proud of his German roots and heritage, and being a German American, and was a life- long active member of various German American social organizations, with his favorite being the centuries old German Society of Pennsylvania, located in Philadelphia, PA where he was a major benefactor for the capital funding of an elevator for access to the library, as well as, the establishment of the endowment fund, as the first benefactor. He also was a major benefactor for the charter and establishment of the German Heritage museum, located in Washington DC. He also was an active member of Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church and later in life at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Philadelphia.
Also Former president of the German American organization “Tricentenial Bikers” which involved a bicycle built for twelve, an unusual bike was a featured attraction in the annual Steuben day parade honoring Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben a German American, a major general of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and many other parades in Philadelphia and New York City.
Ulrich was also a member of The Freemasons. He always was one to help others in need, was pragmatic, and self-educated himself, continuously, and took a great interest in philosophy and history. He had an outgoing personality and was extremely sociable, with a great sense of humor and was considered a great dancer. He also had a very quick wit and a knack for making the people around him laugh. He was known to be sarcastic; his comedic delivery was always dry and his smile was something you could never forget. He lived a life of passion and purpose for his work, his businesses that he built, his homes that he built, his friends and most of all his wife and family.
Relatives and friends were invited to his viewing on Thursday, January 28, 2021 from 12:00 to 1:00 P.M. at the Wetzel and Son Funeral Home, 501 Easton Road, Willow Grove, PA 19090. His graveside service took place at Sunset Memorial Park, 333 West County Line Road, Feasterville, PA 19053. Per guideline from the State of Pennsylvania, attendees will be required to wear face masks, maintain social distancing as appropriate, and abide by the regulations that limit the number of visitors in the funeral home at any one time.
Religious services were conducted by The Reverend Norbert F. Hahn, Ph.D. from Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, 14100 Worthington Road, Philadelphia, PA 19116.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to The German Society of Pennsylvania, 611 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123.
Family flowers arranged by Kremp Florist 215-657-6700.
www.wetzelandson.com
Ulrich Both was born in Johannesburg, East Prussia, Germany, second son to August Both and Emilia Strandt in 1929, a city now known as Kaliningrad, havin been annexed by Russia after WWII. At the age of 11, Ulrich moved with his mother, older brother Helmut, and younger sister Lenchen to Hamburg, where he soon served as an apprentice to a tool and die maker for the German Railroad. This training led to work for various German manufacturing companies during and after the War.
At 23, during what was to be a summer vacation, visiting his uncle, Robert Both, (a German baker in Philadelphia who had emigrated before the Great Depression) Ulrich decided to stay in the US, gaining his US citizenship in a matter of 6 months. Learning English and assimilating very quickly as a naturalized American came very easily to him. He took his first job with a tool maker, Progressive Manufacturing and then with Atlantic Manufacturing Inc. in Philadelphia. He attended the local German clubs and dances offered to the growing German community. And soon met his bride to be Ella Suttmann.
When the Korean War broke out he was drafted into the US Army. It was 1954 and he and Ella decided to marry before he started duty, where his machine training and knowledge were once again utilized. Upon his discharge from the army 2 years later, he returned to Philadelphia and Atlantic Manufacturing Inc. He quickly rose up the company ladder and seeing so much opportunity that by 1961 founded his own company, Trubo Machine, in partnership with who would be a life long friend, Hans Trustorff.
The same year he moved his wife and now 2 sons to Cheltenham, PA, designing and building a cutting edge mid-century modern house himself. By 1962 he bought Hans Trustorffs’ share of the firm and started his own business, U.A.B. Manufacturing Inc., a precision machine part factory, which was located in Philadelphia. In 1973, he moved the business and headquarters to Southampton, PA. It was here that he became co- founder of UAB peripheral technology, a manufacturer of magnetic tape drives and founder of Valco industrial Corporation, a manufacturer of coolant inducers used for high speed drilling applications in manufacturing. He served as president until his retirement and sale of the business in 1998.
He and Ella resided in Cheltenham, PA until moving to Doylestown PA in 1990, where he built and rehabbed an historic Bucks county hostel and 17 acre parcel into an award winning estate. Ulrich spent his free time during the summers at his favorite beach, Ocean City, New Jersey from 1973 to 2010, where he and Ella had acquired a vacation home at Boardwalk and Park Place.
He was always proud of his German roots and heritage, and being a German American, and was a life- long active member of various German American social organizations, with his favorite being the centuries old German Society of Pennsylvania, located in Philadelphia, PA where he was a major benefactor for the capital funding of an elevator for access to the library, as well as, the establishment of the endowment fund, as the first benefactor. He also was a major benefactor for the charter and establishment of the German Heritage museum, located in Washington DC. He also was an active member of Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church and later in life at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Philadelphia.
Also Former president of the German American organization “Tricentenial Bikers” which involved a bicycle built for twelve, an unusual bike was a featured attraction in the annual Steuben day parade honoring Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben a German American, a major general of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and many other parades in Philadelphia and New York City.
Ulrich was also a member of The Freemasons. He always was one to help others in need, was pragmatic, and self-educated himself, continuously, and took a great interest in philosophy and history. He had an outgoing personality and was extremely sociable, with a great sense of humor and was considered a great dancer. He also had a very quick wit and a knack for making the people around him laugh. He was known to be sarcastic; his comedic delivery was always dry and his smile was something you could never forget. He lived a life of passion and purpose for his work, his businesses that he built, his homes that he built, his friends and most of all his wife and family.
Relatives and friends were invited to his viewing on Thursday, January 28, 2021 from 12:00 to 1:00 P.M. at the Wetzel and Son Funeral Home, 501 Easton Road, Willow Grove, PA 19090. His graveside service took place at Sunset Memorial Park, 333 West County Line Road, Feasterville, PA 19053. Per guideline from the State of Pennsylvania, attendees will be required to wear face masks, maintain social distancing as appropriate, and abide by the regulations that limit the number of visitors in the funeral home at any one time.
Religious services were conducted by The Reverend Norbert F. Hahn, Ph.D. from Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, 14100 Worthington Road, Philadelphia, PA 19116.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to The German Society of Pennsylvania, 611 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123.
Family flowers arranged by Kremp Florist 215-657-6700.
www.wetzelandson.com
Copyright Wetzel and Son, Inc. All Rights Reserved.