Eugene R. "Gene" Engler Sr. 1932-2009

ENGLER, NAUMAN, LEYTEM, SHELLY, SIEGERT, NEBEL, NEWTON, SHAPELL

Posted By: J. N. (email)
Date: 4/6/2009 at 22:54:10

Telegraph Herald
Dubuque, Iowa
Monday, April 6, 2009

Eugene R. "Gene" Engler Sr.

Eugene R. "Gene" Engler Sr., 76, of 1520 Ruann Drive, died at 7:15 a.m. Saturday, April 4, 2009, at home. He had wintered in his home in Pharr, Texas, until he became sick. His children brought him home last week, and as always they were with him when he needed them.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 8, at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, with the Rev. Mark Ressler officiating. Entombment will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Key West, Iowa, where military rites will be accorded by American Legion Dubuque Post 6. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, at Leonard Funeral Home and Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Road, where there will be a wake service at 4 p.m.

He was born on May 29, 1932, in Sherrill, Iowa, son of Earl and Stella (Nauman) Engler. He married Elizabeth "Betti" Leytem on Nov. 24, 1953. He served in the Army from 1953 to 1955, and was discharged as a sergeant after serving in Korea.

He worked as a crane operator for Leytem Trucking Co. and Bob Walser Crane Co. He then worked for the former Dubuque Packing Co. and retired from FDL in September 1994.

After he retired, they bought a motor home and spent many happy days traveling. For 13 years, they rotated their winters between Florida, Arizona, and Texas, and made many friends. In 2007, they sold the motor home and with their winter family, Pat and Dick Fiepel, bought a permanent place in Pharr, Texas.

Gene was a family man, he was never happier than when he was with his children and 17 grandchildren at his home. As the grandchildren were spreading out he looked forward to the holidays, they all came home to be together. He will be missed.

Surviving are his wife of 55 years, Betti; his children, Eugene (Randy) Shelly and their children, Peter (Jaclyn), Christopher and Michael, Rick (Laura) and his children, Joshua, Bryan and Stephani, Rory (Cindy) and their children, Justin, Jenelle, and Jordan, Rachel (David Schumacher) and her children, Zach, Wes, Clarissa and Elyjah, Rod (Tara) and their children, David, Cailee, Savannah and Pyper and Ryan Engler; his sisters, Virginia (Robert) Siegert, Joan Nebel and Sharon (Bernard) Newton; and Donna Engler, mother of Joshua, Bryan and Stephani.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a son Russel; brothers-in-law, William Nebel, Arnold "Butch" Leytem Jr., and Bob Leytem; and a sister-in-law, Mary Lou Shapell.

The family request no flowers.

The family would like to thank Pat and Dick for all their special care; Pat and Stella Regan, Dr. C. Holm and staff of Medical Oncology Department; Dr. A. Trenor and Lana at the Research Department of the University of Wisconsin-Madison; Dr. Shekar and Dr. West, of Texas Oncology; and the Hospice of Dubuque, especially Jen D.