Gerald Gingles

Gerry Gingles, age 84, of Canby, Minn., passed away Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, S.D. Funeral service were held Monday, July 29, 2024, at the First Presbyterian Church in Canby with burial in the Canby City Cemetery. Houseman Funeral Home, Birk Chapel in Canby was entrusted with the arrangements.
Gerald “Gerry” H. Gingles was born on January 19, 1940, in Lincoln, Neb., 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, Neb., and one year in Baudette, Minn. 
Gerry and Marcia were married in Hallock, Minn., 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, Ariz.
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, Gerry is best known for his love of wrestling. His wrestling career didn’t begin until 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 four state qualifiers and placed sixth 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. Armed with lessons learned from that first year at Kimball, he built Canby into a Minnesota wrestling powerhouse. In the 24 years of coaching that ended in 1992, he coached numerous individual state place winners, state champions and won five 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 is survived by his three children, Douglas Gingles of Lincoln, Neb., Kerrin (Rick) Shackelford of Sacred Heart, Minn., and Patrick (Jakyong) Gingles of Velva, N.D.; 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 parents, Glen and Ruby Gingles; wife, Marcia; brothers, William G. Gingles and Douglas R. Gingles; and one grandchild, Lincoln Kyo Gingles.