Gerald "Gerry" Gingles

Gerald "Gerry" Gingles, age 84, of Canby, MN, passed away Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, SD. Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 29, 2024 at the First Presbyterian Church in Canby, MN. Burial will be in the Canby City Cemetery, Canby, MN. Visitation will be 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. with a 7 pm Prayer Service on Sunday, July 28th at the Houseman Funeral Home, Birk Chapel in Canby and will resume Monday one hour prior to the service at the church. Houseman Funeral Home, Birk Chapel in Canby, MN is entrusted with the arrangements.
The funeral will be livestreamed on the First Presbyterian Church's Facebook page.
Gerald "Gerry" H. Gingles was born on January 19, 1940 in Lincoln, Nebraska to Glen and Ruby (Heather) Gingles where he grew up with his brother, Bill. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1957 and attended the University of Nebraska for one year before transferring to Bemidji State University. There he met Marcia and went on to graduate in 1962. Before marrying Marcia, he taught for one year in Kimball, Nebraska and one year in Baudette, Minnesota.
Gerry and Marcia were married in Hallock, Minnesota on August 8, 1964 and then moved to Canby, where they both taught school, raised a family and remained for the rest of their years. They loved traveling and have been to 49 states and 16 foreign countries together. They participated in mission trips and were active members of the Presbyterian Church in Canby. They enjoyed many summer visits to the family cabin in Northern Minnesota and winters in Mesa, Arizona. His interests included fitness, hiking, biking, camping, golfing, reading, history and the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He was a member of the Canby Lions Club.
Of course he is best known for his love of wrestling. His wrestling career began when he and his best friend decided to try out for the wrestling team at Bemidji State. His first coaching job was in 1962-63 as the head coach of the Kimball Longhorns in Nebraska. They had 4 state qualifiers and placed 6th in the Class B state tourney. "Even though I had done a poor job of teaching and coaching at Kimball, my long-range goal was to build a wrestling power somewhere in a small town." In 1966, he began coaching at Canby, MN. Armed with lessons learned from that first year at Kimball, he built Canby into a Minnesota wrestling powerhouse. In the 24 yrs. of coaching that ended in 1992, he coached numerous individual state place winners, state champions and won 5 state team titles. He is a member of numerous wrestling halls of fame. After retiring from coaching, he continued to follow the Lancers closely and enjoyed visiting with his former wrestlers.
Gerry passed away Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, SD, surrounded by his family, at the age of 84.
Gerry is survived by his three children: Douglas Gingles, Lincoln, Nebraska, Kerrin (Rick) Shackelford, Sacred Heart, Minnesota, and Patrick (Jakyong) Gingles, Velva, North Dakota; eight grandchildren: Kevin (Sydney) Gingles, Brad (Abby) Gingles, Amanda (Jacob) Griffin, Kaitlyn Gingles, Rory Shackelford, Klaira Shackelford, Kallie Shackelford and Kailen Gingles; and five great-grandchildren: Savannah and Madison Gingles, Everett and Lyvia Griffin and Cooper Gingles.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Marcia; parents, Glen and Ruby Gingles; brothers: William G. Gingles and Douglas R. Gingles; and one grandchild, Lincoln Kyo Gingles.