Hilde Johannewers had been smoking since she was 16.

Some 60 years later, when the doctors told her that she had to quit, she gave up the habit right away.

Her discipline was more impressive considering her profession — she ran the Hamilton Pipe Shop on James Street North in Hamilton, Ont., for more than half of a century.

She was the most knowledgeable tobacconist in Hamilton. No one would argue with that. -Bob Bratina , former mayor

"When somebody says it's so difficult to stop smoking, she's a prime example," said her daughter Heide Bell. "She ran a tobacco shop and she stopped."

Johannewers, a well-known and well-liked tobacconist, died in hospital on Aug. 7 at the age of 91. But it was not before leaving her mark on the community.

Family, friends and customers described her as disciplined, determined and dedicated. They also said she will be remembered for her strong work ethic and immense knowledge of the trade.

"She loved her store. She knew her product. She really appreciated her customers and she served them well," said Bell. "And she loved the neighbourhood. And everything else fell behind that."

Century-old store

Trained as a tobacconist in Germany, Johannewers immigrated to Canada in 1956. Because of her husband's background as an engineer, the couple was attracted by Hamilton's industrial prowess at the time and settled down in Steeltown.

It didn't take Johannewers very long to pick up her trade again. After a few years of odd jobs, she bought Peace's Cigar Store, a business established in 1877.

'She knew her product so well. It was easy for her to sell,' said Sam Perniac, a longtime friend. (Heide Bell)

A few years later, however, the store burned down. The fire was so massive that her daughter still remembers seeing the flames while driving into downtown after many years have passed.

"Most people would have just given up. Not my mother," Bell said. "She just picked herself up, dusted herself off, started all over again and never looked back."

After moving a few more times, Johannewers eventually found a home for her shop at 140 James St. N. and the store took on a new name — Hamilton Pipe Shop.

Her collections of pipes, cigars and tobacco — including her own blends — drew customers from across Ontario.

"She knew her product so well. It was easy for her to sell," said Sam Perniac, who met Johannewers while working as a tobacco salesman and the two later became friends.

"I learned myself how to sell my product just by watching her," Perniac said. "It's like selling a BMW. You just give it to the guy and say 'Take it for a ride.'"

Notable customers

The movers and shakers of the city also frequented the store: McMaster University professors came for the pipes; businesspeople sought out expensive Cuban cigars; there were also the lawyers and the judges.

Former mayor Bob Bratina was also one of the regulars.

"She was the most knowledgeable tobacconist in Hamilton. No one would argue with that," Bratina said.

The former mayor said he often wondered — but never asked — if she enjoyed a few puffs herself.

"A slender lady that she was, I often wondered what she would be like with a big Churchill," Bratina said.

A longtime neighbourhood fixture, Johannewers bore witness to the boom, the decline and the revitalization of James Street North.

"It's really sad that she left us at the time of change when the street is getting its hustle and bustle back," Bratina said.

After reporting for duty in downtown Hamilton for more than 50 years, her health declined due to heart conditions and she closed her store in 2014. She died in hospital nine days ago.

As she wished, her body was donated to McMaster University's anatomy school for research.