[AT] Dave Rotigel

Stephen Offiler soffiler at gmail.com
Wed Nov 8 12:47:38 PST 2017


Godspeed, Dave.

Much of what Spencer and others have already said echoes my own thoughts.
Dave was a unique individual, one who never feared stirring the pot.  I met
him on my trips to Portland back in the 1990's where he was an important
fixture at the campfire.  I must admit my surprise in reading his
obituary.   I never realized he was a PhD and a career professor in the
field of Education.


Regards,
Steve O.



On Wed, Nov 8, 2017 at 10:50 AM, Spencer Yost <yostsw at atis.net> 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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