Farewell to a companion from the very beginning
Willi Glinka (1932–2026)
It is with sadness, but also with great gratitude and deep respect, that we bid farewell to Willi Glinka, who passed away on February 5, 2026, at the age of 94.
With his passing, ora Kinderhilfe loses a formative companion from the very beginning. Willi Glinka was a founding member of ora Kinderhilfe (then known as Deutscher Hilfsfonds) and had been closely associated with the organization and its founder Heinrich Floreck (†) since its inception on April 1, 1981.
Willi Glinka was one of those people who supported the establishment and development of ora Kinderhilfe on a voluntary basis for decades with foresight, reliability, and great personal commitment. His eye for structures, his precision, and his sense of responsibility were invaluable for working with children and people in need over many decades.
Until the end, Willi Glinka felt closely connected to ora Kinderhilfe and took an active interest in the activities of the organization, of which he had been an honorary member since March 22, 2025.
Willi Glinka was born on April 2, 1932, in Essen-Schönebeck. As a trained accountant, he worked for many years at the energy company RWE in Essen, where he was responsible for payroll and expense accounting. Orderliness, reliability, and a sense of duty characterized not only his professional life, but also his volunteer work. In addition to ora Kinderhilfe, music accompanied him throughout his life: until old age, he played the tenor horn in a trombone choir and the violin—an expression of his discipline, his joy in working together, and his inner attitude.
Willi Glinka was married to his wife Gerda. Together they had two children and a large brood of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His family was just as important to him as his lively Christian faith, which naturally and consistently guided his thoughts and actions.
ora Kinderhilfe is grateful for a long life full of responsibility, loyalty, and dedication to others. We will honor Willi Glinka's memory. Our thoughts are especially with his wife, his family, and all those who were close to him during this time.