Jim Engel

Jim Engel, 68 of Lancaster, Ohio passed away shortly before midnight on Wednesday, October 31, 2018. Our patriarch said good bye to us and headed on to his next gig to nibshit.

He left behind 5 siblings who all agree that they were blessed to have had him for a brother. They are: Robert Engel, Mary (Jim) Love, Susan (Tim) Stoughton, Jane Engel-Merrill and Amy Daubenmire.

Surviving nieces and nephews are: Nick Engel, Jennifer, Niles and Miriam Love, Jason and Erin Biggs, Betsy Atanasov, Molly Robinson and David and Grant Daubenmire.

Surviving great-nieces and nephews are: Kaaren Burke, Emmett Love, Tilden and Canyon Babinec-Love and Liam Robinson.

Jim was born June 23, 1950 in Sioux Falls, county of Minnehaha, SD. He was the third child of Emmett and Vivian (Cleaveland) Engel who predeceased him.

In January of 1958 the family moved to Lancaster, OH where Jim quickly began learning, observing and reporting local events.

Jim was always a strong, hard worker and took pride in a job well-done. When he was 14 years old, he was hired by Farmer Brown. While the other boys didn’t have the stamina to work more than one shift, Jim was the only teenager to work double shifts.

After graduating from Lancaster High School, class of 1969, Jim served in the US Army as an artillery surveyor in Vietnam near the DMZ. After his military service, he developed skills in many areas. He was a draftsman, heavy equipment operator and then a Lancaster Firefighter with 25 years of service. He always felt that his work as a tree man was a hobby, but it developed into "Jim’s Tree Service”, a successful business. His expertise was often called upon. He felled Ohio’s largest hedge-apple tree and the largest cherry tree on record. The state of Ohio hired him because he had the knowledge and skill to drop trees that were leaning over the natural rock bridge, located in Rockbridge State Nature Preserve. Jim cut the trees so that they did not fall and damage the largest natural rock bridge in the state of Ohio.

In retirement, he was an occasional driver for the people in the Amish community. Over time, he developed friendships with them that stretched from Ohio to Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Missouri.

Jim was always interested in people, places and history. He enjoyed acquiring new information and freely sharing what he had learned. He was a good and honorable man.

A gathering of family and friends will be Sunday, November 4, 2018 from 2-6 p.m. and Monday from 2-5 p.m. at the FRANK E. SMITH FUNERAL HOME, 405 N. COLUMBUS ST., LANCASTER, OHIO 43130. Caring Cremation® to take place.

Memorial gifts may be given to the Fairfield County Parks, 407 E. Main St., Lancaster, Ohio 43130.

To send an online condolence, and sign the guest book, please visit www.funeralhome.com.

Visitation

2:00 PM - 6:00 PM ,Sunday, November 4, 2018
Frank E. Smith Funeral Home
405 N. Columbus St Lancaster, OH 43130

Visitation

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM ,Monday, November 5, 2018
Frank E. Smith Funeral Home
405 N. Columbus St Lancaster, OH 43130