[AT] Dave Rotigel

[Grant Brians]

It is always sad when someone we know passes. Yet at the same time 
release from the cares of this world is often welcome too. That word 
Cancer is a clue there to all of us.
      I want the comment on your comments as well, Spencer. Your 
comment, "We saw eye to eye on nearly nothing yet I always looked 
forward to seeing him and I considered him a friend.",

speaks to something I have been thinking a lot about. If we cannot have friendships and acquaintances who fit in that category, then how do we make sure we learn as much as we can? Also how do we ever have the opportunity to live life to the fullest? Or find out that someone with a different view can enhance our understanding or persuade someone who we think is just plain wrong about something to open up their understanding? I know I am thankful that my church's Christian faith life encourages questioning and learning rather than blind adherence to someone's interpretation of the scriptures. This informs how I approach life in general.

I have always enjoyed those opportunities to learn. I will admit I never 
would have guessed him to be a PhD and a Professor, but now that I know 
it I can see him being just like my very,very good friend the crotchety 
talk radio host - provocative, a buddy, a friend and also frustrating. 
In short someone to be at a party with at least to the point that his 
whiskey runs out! Notice I said HIS whiskey as I don't drink hard liquor 
because I don't care for it, lol.... I think the list will lose both an 
agent provocateur and an interesting character. All the best for his 
family and we will miss him too.

       Grant Brians - Hollister,California farmer

On 11/8/2017 7:50 AM, Spencer Yost wrote:
> I need to relay some sad news:  Dave Rotigel, a long time SEL and AT list member (one of the original) and very ardent supporter of ATIS in general, passed away Monday from cancer.  He was 79.
>
> Many of you know Dave Rotigel from the engine and tractor shows - particularly Portland.  Even those of you that don't know him personally; you know him from the posts he made here on AT and SEL.  Always shocking, always irreverent, Dave was nonetheless smart, funny, dependable, honest, and insightful.  We saw eye to eye on nearly nothing yet I always looked forward to seeing him and I considered him a friend.  His engines and tractors were always some of the best examples of restoration and his big Galloway engine is nearly legendary.  I envied his knowledge and abilities and I wish I had half his competence and acumen.  He was an integral part of the "Great West Virginia and Pennsylvania Oil Field Engine Hunt" - the one where I found my 25HP Ball oilfield engine - and was a big part of the later excavator extraction of said engine.   He helped me get it running and was instrumental in that restoration's success.
>
> His last post to this list, just a few weeks ago was:  "Life is good."
>
> Indeed Dave.  Thanks for the memories.
>
> His wife passed along his obituary and I include it below; I think it was published this morning and you can probably catch it online too.   Brice will be making the announcement to the engine list and will formulate a group/ATIS plan for flowers or a donation.  No instructions are In the obituary but we are reaching out to a close friend of his to see if there is anything the family would prefer.
>
> My condolences to his hundreds of other friends on both lists.
>
>
> Spencer Yost
>
>
>
>
> Dr. David Emery Rotigel, 79, of Bonita Springs, Fla., formerly of Greensburg, Pa. and Indiana, Pa., died Monday, November 6, 2017.  He was born November 10, 1937, in Detroit, Mich., son of the late Joseph and Fern M. Emery Rotigel.
>
> He was married to Jennifer Vickers Rotigel of Greensburg PA on November 14th, 1981, and they had 36 wonderful years together that included raising 6 children. Dave enjoyed living in the country and was an avid gardener, house builder, hunter, woodworker, and lover of all things mechanical.
>
> Dave received his doctoral degree in Philosophy of Education from the University of Illinois. He served as a professor for 39 years, first at the University of Indiana and subsequently at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He was chair of the Foundations of Education Department and Coordinator of the Langley/IUP Urban Teaching Center in Pittsburgh, PA. He was an active professional and made many presentations and published many professional articles. Dave was a gifted educator and enjoyed mentoring novice teachers.
>
> Dave was a loving husband and father who was very involved with his children and their activities. He served as Packmaster of Cub Scout Troup 212 in Delmont for a number of years and coached his sons' dek hockey and baseball teams. He was also active in the Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education.
>
> An active member of the Fort Allen Antique Farm Equipment Association, he enjoyed repairing and restoring antique farm equipment, especially Hit and Miss Engines. He loved attending engine shows all over the country and showing his many engines and tractors. Dave was widely sought for his expertise and experience and was instrumental in several large projects to preserve the historical nature of the equipment he loved. Dave was internationally known and kept in touch with his engine friends around the world.
>
> He is survived by his wife, Jennifer Vickers Rotigel of Bonita Springs, Fl.; children: Seely Emery (Tammy) Rotigel of Kalamazoo, Mich., David John (Misty) Rotigel, of York, Pa., Todd Michael (Tina O'Hara) Rotigel, of Mt. Pulaski, Ill., Pedro Martin (Marisa) Bidegaray, of Miami, Fla., Daniel Leslie (Brigid) Rotigel, of Bonita Springs, Fla., and Michael Steven Rotigel, of N. Fort Myers, Fla.; a granddaughter, Sydney Rotigel-Finegan, and a grandson, Pedro Julian Bidegaray.
>
> Family and friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, November 10th at BARNHART FUNERAL HOME, 505 E. Pittsburgh St., Greensburg, Pa.  A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the funeral home.  Entombment with full military honors accorded by the VFW Post 33, will follow at St. Clair Cemetery, Greensburg, Pa.  For online condolences, visit BarnhartFuneralHome.com.
>
>
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