Thursday, April 10, 2025 | 10:30 AM
Dave Gengler, 83, passed away on February 6, 2025. He was a beloved husband, father, uncle, great-uncle and friend who will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Dave was born on May 17, 1941 to Jeanette and Arnold Gengler in Plainview, MN where he spent his childhood on the family farm.
After graduating from Plainview High School he went on to serve in the Army with the Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. After his discharge, he attended Rochester Junior Community College and then finished his Bachelor's of Science in Business at Mankato State University. After graduating, he began a 31 year career with IDS Financial Services/Ameriprise in downtown Minneapolis. Throughout his career, he was proud of his attention to detail, problem solving and persistence for customers, and a contagious sense of humor on the job.
But more than anything, Dave was a loving father and husband. He enjoyed cheering on his kids and grandkids whatever they were doing from sports to academics to career moves - he was a proud father and grandfather and would tell anyone who would listen about them. He was always there to offer a pearl of wisdom, teach them something new, or just encourage them on their next endeavor whatever that might be.
In his free time, Dave enjoyed gardening, woodworking, fixing things around his house, and quietly helping neighbors, friends and community members. He was an outgoing guy who loved chatting with whoever was around, often with a story or a joke to make them laugh. He was a man of many facial expressions to punctuate a joke that was just over the line - he loved to get a reaction and get people laughing.
Dave is survived by his wife, Jan, his children, Ben Gengler (Deanna) and Katrina Mezera (Rob), and his 6 grandchildren Sophia, Isaiah, Lillianne, Walter, Jackson, and Natalie, his sisters Rita Gengler and Lyn Mussaleum (Bob) and brother John Gengler (Rita), and many in-laws, nieces, and nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Arnold and Jeanette Gengler, his siblings Earl, Richard, James, Paul, Gerald, and Jerome Gengler and Virgina Lee.
A visitation will be the hour prior funeral service. A visitation will also be held on April 9th from 4 - 7 PM at Washburn-Mcreavy Funeral Chapel in Edina, Minnesota. Internment Saturday, May 17, 2025 at 10 AM at St. Joachim Cemetery in Plainview, MN.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to VEAP Food Shelf in Bloomington, MN.
