It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Siegfried (Zeke) Ploeger, peacefully in his sleep on November 25, 2023, in his 94th year.

Zeke is survived by his loving wife Elke of Toronto, son Steven (Gabby) of Toronto, daughter Patricia of Calgary, and son Frank (Pauline) of Virginiatown, Ontario. He will sadly be missed by his grandchildren Spencer, Jennifer, Jason (Lisa), Rebecca, and Kate (Adrian) and great-grandchildren Emma, Evelyn, Mika, Anthony, Chloe, and Remington. Zeke was predeceased by his parents Ernst and Erna, and older brothers Wolfgang, twins Herbert and Gunther, and younger brother Uwe. One sister, Eva, resides in Germany.

Zeke, affectionately known as Siggi to his family and friends, was born in Germany on December 27, 1929. He immigrated to Canada in 1953, and with only a few dollars in his pocket began to forge a new life. He worked hard taking auto mechanic courses specializing in heavy equipment which eventually landed him a job servicing the fleet of vehicles at Gormley Ready Mix Concrete. From there, he eventually moved on to a lengthy career with Ontario Hydro where he was Shop Superintendent, supervising the maintenance and customization of a large fleet of specialized hydraulically equipped vehicles.

On weekends and holidays, and eventually into retirement, Zeke and Elke enjoyed life at their beloved cottage on Moose Lake in the Haliburton Highlands. Zeke’s favorite summer activity was sailing on the lake in his Laser and in the winter months he enjoyed downhill skiing at Sir Sam’s. Zeke was an avid golfer and loved playing with friends in Toronto, Haliburton and Panama City Beach, Florida. Even when Zeke was well into his eighties, he would participate in annual golf games with his sons Steven and Frank, invariably beating them both every time. Zeke was always looking for a new adventure and decided while in his retirement to pursue his love of sailing by purchasing a sailboat with Elke. Together, they enjoyed their time sailing around the Toronto harbour and the north shores of Lake Ontario with family and friends. Zeke will be sadly missed and will always hold a special place in our hearts.

The family would like to thank the staff at Cawthra Gardens Long Term Care Residence (AgeCare), Mississauga, ON. for the love and care that they provided to make Zeke comfortable over the past few years. If desired, in lieu of flowers, a memorial donation can be made in Zeke’s memory to the Hospital for Sick Children: Donating to SickKids | SickKids

As per Zeke’s wishes, family and friends are invited to visitation at Turner & Porter Yorke Chapel, 2357 Bloor St., West, Toronto, ON. between 4 pm and 6 pm on Friday, February 02, 2024. A chapel service and reception will be held the following day at the same location. The chapel service will begin at 3 pm on Saturday, February 03, 2024, followed immediately by a reception.