Dave Engels
April 16, 1946 - May 30, 2010
David Anthony Engels, 64, of Aurora died Sunday. May 30, 2010. of Parkinson's disease. A graveside service and burial took place June 2, in the Aurora Community Cemetery.
He was born April 16, 1946. in Huron. S.D., to Anthony and Shirley Engels. His father joined the U.S. Air Force when it was formed, and the family lived many places in the U.S. and around the world,
Dave moved with his family to Moscow, Idaho, in 1959. He graduated from Moscow High School in 1964, attended the University of Idaho, receiving a bachelors degree in history in 1970, and a law degree in 1973.
He met Susan Spencer of Seattle while attending the University of Idaho. They were married June 3, 1967 in Moscow.
Dave paid for his education by fighting fires in the summer. He worked one summer for a state of Idaho Fire crew, two summers with the Slate Creek (Idaho) Hotshots crew, the summers of 1966 to 1969 as a smokejumper with the U.S. Forest Service at Idaho City, Idaho, and the summers of 1971 to 1973 as a smokejumper with the Bureau of Land .Management in Fairbanks, Alaska.
His career as a lawyer began with private practice in Anchorage, Alaska, in 1974. From 1976 until 1984 he worked in the general counsel's office of the U.S. Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. He transferred to the U.S. Department of Justice where he worked for three years from a field office in Portland, representing the Bonneville Power Administration in the Washington Public Power Supply litigation. He then returned to private practice in Portland, eventually becoming a partner in Banks. Newcomb & Engels. He retired a few years after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
He participated in several studies of Parkinson’s disease at Oregon Health & Science University and he lobbied Congress in support of Parkinson's research. He also served on the boards of the Oregon Environmental Council and Outward Bound and was elected to the board of the Aurora Rural Fire District.
Dave enjoyed many outdoor activities including hunting, camping, hiking, skiing, kayaking, and rock and mountain climbing. He was a member of the Mazamas mountain climbing club. He taught his daughters and their friends how to build snow caves. He had a great love of gardening and grew most of his family's vegetables for many years.. In later life he was an avid grower of roses.
He is survived by his wife. Sue of Aurora: daughter, Jennifer Engels, son-in-law, Douglas Holdt, and granddaughter, Hannah Engels Holdt of Honolulu; daughter, Mary Engels of Falmouth, Mass.; mother, Shirley Engels Ebbeler and stepfather, Col. Harold Ebbeler (retired, U. S. Air Force) of Albuquerque, N.M.; brothers, John of Weatherford, Texas; Peter of Schereville, Ind, and Charles of Signal Hill, Calif, He was preceded in death by his father In 1977.
Donations in his memory may be made to Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon or Thelma’s Place, 352 N.W. Second Ave. Canby, OR 97013.