Austin Gegel

2000 - 2023

ANN ARBOR, MI -- Austin Kenneth Charles Gegel, 23, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and formerly of Wapakoneta, Ohio, came into this world, imbued with energy and destined to help anyone in need, on June 24, 2000, in Lima, Ohio, to Mike and Tammy (Sutton) Gegel; he was born ready for a Pepsi, mac and cheese, King's Hawaiian Rolls, Oreos, and brownies. Austin departed this earthly life on July 5 while on vacation at one of his favorite places on earth, Camp Arcadia in Arcadia, Michigan, surrounded by his girlfriend Emily, and his family. This world has lost a beautiful soul and a loving boyfriend, son, brother, nephew, grandson, and friend.

Austin deeply loved nature and being outside – almost as much as he loved Emily. He enjoyed collecting bugs, catching snakes, and all animals. Austin had such a tender heart that he would gently escort the largest of spiders out of the house rather than killing it. A wolf at a sanctuary once accepted Austin into its pack by wrapping its jaws around Austin's throat three times. Austin knew exactly what the wolf was doing, and found it incredibly exciting.

If something needed to be done, Austin would find a way to do it, like turning the TV on by poking his finger inside the TV after the power button had fallen in (not necessarily a good idea), or fixing anything with a screwdriver. Austin was always best friends with his siblings, and never the much younger brother "pest" that got into everything.

Austin enjoyed playing Pokémon with anyone he could, reading Manga, and watching anime. Austin and Emily were also enjoying learning to cook together.

Austin was brave and unafraid, watching the doctor stitch his finger at age eight after cutting it on a can lid. While in college, Austin climbed a tree to get to a certain kind of snake, accidentally bumping the snake off the branch and seeing it land around his professor's neck, and he walked on "Top of the World" in NYC.

Austin graduated with honors from Wapakoneta High School in 2019, where he was a proud member of the track team, running hurdles, relays, and other events; participated in WHS choral programs and musicals; became a VFW Voice of Democracy award recipient; and, being very passionate about Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology, earned a bronze medal on the Medusa Mythology Exam. For ten years, Austin was a dance student at the Dance Centré in Wapak, studying lyrical, jazz, and tap. Austin had also been a member of the St. John's 4-Hers, was

in several Encore Theatre productions in Lima, and had worked at the KOA Campground in Wapak.

While attending Eastern Michigan University, Austin worked as a resident advisor, drove for DoorDash and Lyft, and worked for the Northville Parks and Recreation Department in the summer. Austin graduated cum laude from EMU in December of 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in biology and a minor in zoology, hoping to be the next Jack Hanna. He then began working for the Creature Conservancy in Ann Arbor and the Northville Parks and Recreation Department.

Austin is survived by his college sweetheart and the love of his life, Emily Smith, of Toledo, Ohio; parents, Mike and Tammy Gegel of Wapakoneta; sister, Tori (Cretora) Gegel of Kettering, Ohio; sister and brother-in-law, Salon and Edward Gegel-Long of Decatur, Alabama; brother and sister-in-law, Cedric Gegel and Sarah Fryman of Bayonne, NJ; paternal grandmother, Eunice Gegel, of Baldwin, IL; and many uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends galore!

Austin was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Chuck and Glenna Sutton, and a paternal grandfather, Kenneth Gegel.

Austin was a wild, weird, and wonderful soul!

Funeral services will be 3:00 p.m., Sun. July 16, 2023, at the Eley Funeral Home & Crematory, St. Rt. 501, Wapakoneta, with Pastor Grant Eckhart officiating. The family will receive friends 3-8 p.m., Sat. July 15, and 1-3 p.m., Sun. at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the EMU Department of Biology, Columbus Zoo, and Toledo Zoo Conservation (donations designated to Wild Toledo and butterfly habitats). Condolences may be expressed at www.eleyfuneralhomeandcrematory.com. The service will be live-streamed on the Eley Funeral Home & Crematory Facebook page.