Dave Gingerich, 90, died Monday, February 22, 2021 at the Wesley Retirement Community in Des Moines, WA, where he had made his home for 13 years. Dave's full name is Harley David Gingerich, and he went by "Dave" or "David."  He was born March 26, 1930 in Almyra, Arkansas.  He joined the Air Force at age 16 and was first sent to Japan for 2 ½ years to assist with the occupation.  When he returned to the U.S., he remained in the Air Force until he retired in 1966. When Dave was stationed in Rapid City, SD, he met and fell in love with Dorothy Valentine, from Egan. They married and had two daughters, Susan and Julie.  While Dave was in the Air Force, he and his family lived across the United States, including Maine, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, Colorado, Missouri, Florida, and Mississippi.   Among the highlights of his military service were serving in a special envoy to help develop the Chinese Air Force in Taiwan, and serving as a crew member for the Snark and the Atlas F missile systems during the Cold War. After retiring from the Air Force in 1966, Dave moved to Billings, MT and soon started a second career as an electronics technician for the National Weather Service (NWS).  When he and Dorothy moved to Sioux Falls in 1980, he transferred to the Sioux Falls office of the NWS.   He retired from the NWS in 1986.

Dave enjoyed several interests, including hunting, fishing, birdwatching, traveling, and reading history.  Above all, he was interested in people, and he maintained connections over the years.  He was also a big lover of dogs, and could recall the name of every dog he owned (which was a big number) since childhood.  But most of all, he was a devoted husband to his wife Dorothy, who passed away in 2006.

He is survived by his two daughters, Julie Gingerich of Seattle, WA and Susan Gingerich of Narberth, PA; two grandsons, Daniel Chinburg of Newtown Square, PA and William Chinburg of New York City; two great grandchildren, Leo Chinburg and Chloe Chinburg of Newtown Square, PA; and one sister, Shirley Westbrook of Hazen, Arkansas.   He was preceded in death by his sisters Laura, Cleo, and Mary, and by his brother William.

Memorial services will take place at a later date.