Richard A. "Dick" Engle

Richard A. “Dick” Engle, 91, of Mechanicsburg, passed away peacefully with his loving family by his side on Saturday, November 18, 2023, at UPMC Carlisle.

He was born June 24, 1932, in Chicago, IL to the late Lawrence and Helen Bernice (Cole) Engle. Dick was the widower of Sally (Clegg) Engle who passed in 2008 after they enjoyed 54 years of marriage.

Dick attended Morgan Park Military Academy in Chicago. During his senior year he met Sally Clegg on a blind date. After a year apart at college, Sally joined Dick at Michigan State College (now University), and they were married in 1953. Dick was Air Force ROTC, and majored in journalism. They both graduated in 1953. While awaiting his orders he worked at the Lansing State Journal newspaper, then he was stationed at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany, where he edited the Twelfth Air Force magazine and served as a General’s aid.

Their first daughter, Kimberly, was born in Germany. They returned to the US in 1957 and settled in Lansing, Michigan. Dick left active duty and joined the Air Force Reserves; he retired from the Air Force in 1972. Dick worked for Jepson-Murray Advertising Agency, then at Motor Wheel Corporation for over 35 years. Sally and Dick’s second daughter, Alison, was born in Lansing in 1958. That same year they built their house in River Ridge in Lansing where they lived until 1994.

Richard and Sally were active members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Lansing, Michigan. Dick was Senior Warden and contributed his woodworking and business skills to many projects.

Avid sailors, Dick and Sally owned four boats over 40 years of sailing. Starting with a day sailor on inland Michigan lakes, to cruising boats on the Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean and San Francisco Bay. They made lifelong friends at Muskegon Yacht Club and in their travels. Following retirement, they sold the house, and took the boat from Lake Michigan through Chicago, traveling south down the rivers to the Gulf of Mexico. For ten years they spent 6 months of the year sailing around Florida, and six months traveling the United States in an RV. One year they sailed up the intercostal waterways to the Chesapeake Bay. In 2004 they moved to Norton Shores, Michigan, while still spending 6 months in Florida on the boat every year.

Sally passed away in 2008, and in 2016 Dick moved to Pennsylvania near Kimberly. He enjoyed meeting new friends in his retirement community. We are grateful for his friendship with Karen Rockey, who made his final years happy.

He is survived by his two loving daughters, Kimberly E. (husband James) Laidler of Boiling Springs and Alison E. (husband Gregory) Blank of Menlo Park, CA; four grandchildren, Brendan J. (wife Lauren) Laidler of Las Vegas, NV, David R. Blank of Menlo Park, CA, Paige E. (husband Ethan) Lanious of Boiling Springs, and Christopher S. Blank of Omaha, NE; one sister-in-law, Carol Engle of Florida; and two Engle nephews, Paul (wife Lori) Engle of Massachusetts and Karl Engle of San Francisco, CA; Clegg family nieces and nephews: Pat Miner (husband Jim) Jolin, Steve Miner, David (wife Kris) Miner, Laura Bridges, Raymond (husband Jack Stevenson) Bridges, Thomas (wife Dorothy) Bridges, Randy (wife Joni) Rybicki, Ann (husband Barry) Rybicki Mills. In addition to his parents and his wife, Dick was preceded in death by his brother, David Cole Engle, and niece Elizabeth Rybicki.

A memorial service celebrating Dick’s life will be announced at a later date.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to Michigan State University College of Communication Arts and Sciences https://givingto.msu.edu ; In support of Air Force ROTC at MSU https://givingto.msu.edu/gift/index.cfm?sid=10456 ; or St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 218 W. Ottawa Lansing, MI 48933 https://stpaulslansing.org click on Online Giving.

To sign the guestbook, please visit www.hoffmanfh.com .