- Date Of Birth: July 10, 1927
- Date Of Death: October 20, 2016
- State: Maryland
Dr. Heinrich von Brandt Dr. Heinrich von Brandt died peacefully at his home in Hickman, California on Thursday, October 20, 2016, at the age of 89. Born July 10, 1927 in Oberhausen-Osterfeld, Germany, he completed high school in Oberhausen, served in the military, and earned his Ph.D. in animal husbandry from the University of Giessen, Germany as a Diplom Landwirt. During his time in Giessen, he met his wife Barbara Louise Hessler Brandt, a student of agronomy. After they married, they moved to North America in 1951, first to Kitchener, Ontario and then in 1953 to Ridgely, Maryland, where they managed a dairy herd and later grew corn and soybeans. In 1963, he joined Bayshore Foods and, after completing post graduate studies in Avian Pathology at the University of Delaware, became the organization’s first Avian Pathologist and head of Quality Assurance. He developed vaccines and health care practices that served as models for the industry. In 1973, he became the chief Avian Pathologist for Foster Farms in California and moved his family to a ranch in Hickman, California, where he planted one of the first kiwi orchards in the State and later grew almonds. After retiring from Foster Farms, he started a successful avian health consulting business and served companies in many countries, including in Japan, China, Chile, Brazil, Mexico, Tahiti, Venezuela, and the US. He loved classical music, playing the piano, traveling, hiking across the US and Europe, woodworking, masonry, rock collecting, landscaping, genealogy studies, and raising his children in traditional German fashion. He is survived by his sister Karin Brandt Schmidt(Herwig) and niece Babette Schmidt of Oberhausen; Germany; his son Henry Brandt (Diane) of Centreville, Maryland; daughter Carol Brandt of Abu Dhabi, UAE; son Dr. Mark Brandt (Garet) of Modesto and Bodega Bay, California; Daughter-in-law Barbara Brandt of Eden Prairie, Minnesota as well as grandchildren Nicholas Brandt(Amy), Katie Brandt Ricketts(Jason), Christopher Brandt(Erin), Erik Brandt, and Joseph Brandt. He has seven great grandchildren: Macy Brandt, Maylen Brandt, Taryn Brandt, Avery Brandt, Kendall Brandt, Violet Ricketts, Liam Brandt and two step great grandchildren: Jacob and Paige Ricketts. He is also survived by his friend and companion Edeltraud Spacil of Kirchenreinbach, Germany. He was predeceased by his wife Barbara (2004) and his son Michael Brandt (2014).
