Ernst Helmut Ladebeck

Ernst Helmut Ladebeck August 15, 1929 – April 10,2026

Ernst Helmut Ladebeck died peacefully on April 10, 2026, in Venice Fl. He was 96. He was born in 1929 to Ernst August and Hanna Ladebeck in Schoenebeck an der Elbe in the former East Germany. After growing up during WW II he and his family escaped to the West where he finished his high school in 1948. After high school he worked as a roughneck in the oilfields of Emlichheim on the Dutch border, where he gained his love for geology and oil exploration. He was admitted to Clausthal University of Technology where he studied mining engineering and graduated in 1956. Following graduation he was hired by the Deutsche Erdoel AG (DEA) in Hamburg where he quickly rose to become a project manager. His first business trip to the US was in the late 50’s to Texas where he quickly decided that he loved this country and wowed to be back. He met his wife Liesel in 1959 in Hamburg, Germany where she was working in his office as a draftsman. After their marriage in 1961, the couple moved to Qamishli, Syria where Ernst worked for DEA exploring oil and gas. After 2 years he was transferred back to Hamburg and where he and Liesel had two children. The German company DEA was then acquired by Texaco. Ernst and his family were then transferred to Luanda, Angola in 1969 which was followed by Lagos, Nigeria in 1973 and Brussels, Belgium in 1977. In 1979 he and his family were finally transferred to the US where they lived in New Canaan, CT and Miami, Fl. Always striving to grow and learn he was highly respected by his superiors and promoted often. After living in Florida for 2 years, he was transferred back to Hamburg where he then led the European branch of his firm. He retired when he was 62 when he and Liesel moved to Venice as one of the first members at the newly formed VGCC. There they enjoyed 34 wonderful years of happiness playing golf and further traveling the world.

He is survived by his wife Liesel and his children Ashlee Ladebeck and Sabine Quinn and her husband Tim and grandson Ryan and step grandkids Joseph and Stacy. He is also survived by his brother Gerhard Ladebeck and family in Erlangen, Germany.

He will be sorely missed by his family and the entire VGCC where he was well known to be walking on the treadmill or putting a couple of holes on the golf course in the early evening hours.

In lieu of flowers, please perform an act of kindness to someone in need or donate to the Venice Golf and Country Club Foundation at www.vgccfoundation.org .