In Memory Of
Erwin Carl Gangl
1938
2021
Erwin Carl Gangl
February 16, 1938 — June 27, 2021
Erwin "Erv" Gangl 83, of Centerville, Ohio passed away on Sunday, June 27, 2021, after a valiant fight with cancer. He was a courageous, caring, and loving husband, father and grandfather always looking to ensure his family was provided for. He enjoyed watching University of Michigan football, entertaining the family with trips to Florida and weekend convertible rides with his wife Jeannie and their small dogs Wolfgang, Heidi, Gretchen, Lilly, and Angel. He enjoyed traveling both locally and abroad, but most notably were he and his wife Jeannie's regular trip to Frankenmuth, MI for German food, and Christmas shopping. He loved working home projects including his man-made fishpond flaunting a wooden bridge overpass, multi-platform decks, patio covers and even exquisite bathroom remodels. He had a lifetime collection of photographs and home videos that he spent his retirement years transferring to digital computer files for posterity. He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Jeannie; sons, Michael (Deborah) Gangl of Springboro, OH, Steven (Maria) Gangl of Centerville, OH; grandkids, Crystal (Bruce) Hall of Centerville, OH, Nic Gangl of Columbus, OH, Stephanie Gangl of Dayton, OH; great-granddaughter, Kayla Hall and brother, Ottmar Gangl. He was preceded in death by his father, Josef Gangl; mother, Stefanie Gangl; daughter-in-law, Tina Gangl (nee Dearbaugh) and sister-in-law Ann Gangl (nee Raumberger).
Erv led an incredible journey to come to the United States, raise a family and enjoy a successful career in aerospace and electronic engineering. He was born February 16, 1938 in Palanka, Yugoslavia along the bank of the Danube River to Josef and Stefanie Gangl in the German speaking section of town. They lived there until he was six years old when the family eventually lost their home, business and belongings at the end of World War II and became refugees fleeing into Germany. They resettled in a small Bavarian village called Bieberach and resided there until they emigrated to the United States in 1952. The family, including his brother Ottmar, passed through Ellis Island in one of the last years the inspection station was operational.
The family moved to Akron, Ohio after receiving a brochure from a relative extolling the virtues of the "tire capitol of the world." It was here, at age 14, that he went to high school and eventually the University of Akron to study electrical engineering. While in college, he had a blind date with Jeannie and the two were inseparable for the remaining 61 years of his life. While in college working as a draftsman, he had two sons, Michael and Steven. Upon graduation from the University of Akron, he entered the Air Force as a civilian and moved the family to California for a year. They were then transferred to Dayton the next year so he could work at Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton, OH where he continued his distinguished career for the next 24 years. In 1966, the early years of his career at Wright Patterson AFB, he and his family were sent temporarily to Ann Arbor to pursue his Master's degree at the University of Michigan. From that point forward he was a devoted alumni and Michigan football fan, not an easy thing to do living in Ohio.
Upon returning to Wright Patterson AFB, he began an illustrious career in avionics technology. He was the inventor of MIL-STD-1553B, a time division multiplex bus (think of a teacher in a classroom who calls on each student one-at-a-time to talk). His invention saved the military millions of dollars in aircraft costs and improved electronics technology and military capability. This standard was also adopted by other services for not only aircraft but ships and satellites as well. In fact, it is still in use today with military manufacturers having the electronics remaining in production. One of the jobs he enjoyed most in his role as the "1553" expert was working with NATO on its adoption. He was able to return regularly to Europe in this role which also extended elsewhere in the world such as Australia. Additionally, he was a member of the government team for the F-15 and F-16 aircraft and other specialty capabilities deployed in Vietnam and elsewhere. Taking early retirement in 1988, he remained supporting the Air Force working for local area defense contractors including Softech and CACI. He worked with NASIC and AFRL extensively until finally retiring full-time in 2017.
He won many awards for his electronics work throughout his career, including the two he was most proud of the "Distinguished Engineering Alumni award" from the University of Akron in 2015 and the "IEEE Aerospace and Electronics Systems Society's Pioneer Award" in 2004. Subsequently he took on the role of overseeing the IEEE Pioneer Award annual selection and presentation where he and wife Jeannie traveled around the world presenting this award to distinguished inventors such as SiriusXM satellite radio.
There will be a small service for family members accompanied by his interment in the mausoleum at Woodland Cemetery. If you knew Erv, we hope you had fond memories of him. He lived a very fulfilling life.
Please feel free to leave a special message for his family by clicking on, "share memories".
Erv led an incredible journey to come to the United States, raise a family and enjoy a successful career in aerospace and electronic engineering. He was born February 16, 1938 in Palanka, Yugoslavia along the bank of the Danube River to Josef and Stefanie Gangl in the German speaking section of town. They lived there until he was six years old when the family eventually lost their home, business and belongings at the end of World War II and became refugees fleeing into Germany. They resettled in a small Bavarian village called Bieberach and resided there until they emigrated to the United States in 1952. The family, including his brother Ottmar, passed through Ellis Island in one of the last years the inspection station was operational.
The family moved to Akron, Ohio after receiving a brochure from a relative extolling the virtues of the "tire capitol of the world." It was here, at age 14, that he went to high school and eventually the University of Akron to study electrical engineering. While in college, he had a blind date with Jeannie and the two were inseparable for the remaining 61 years of his life. While in college working as a draftsman, he had two sons, Michael and Steven. Upon graduation from the University of Akron, he entered the Air Force as a civilian and moved the family to California for a year. They were then transferred to Dayton the next year so he could work at Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton, OH where he continued his distinguished career for the next 24 years. In 1966, the early years of his career at Wright Patterson AFB, he and his family were sent temporarily to Ann Arbor to pursue his Master's degree at the University of Michigan. From that point forward he was a devoted alumni and Michigan football fan, not an easy thing to do living in Ohio.
Upon returning to Wright Patterson AFB, he began an illustrious career in avionics technology. He was the inventor of MIL-STD-1553B, a time division multiplex bus (think of a teacher in a classroom who calls on each student one-at-a-time to talk). His invention saved the military millions of dollars in aircraft costs and improved electronics technology and military capability. This standard was also adopted by other services for not only aircraft but ships and satellites as well. In fact, it is still in use today with military manufacturers having the electronics remaining in production. One of the jobs he enjoyed most in his role as the "1553" expert was working with NATO on its adoption. He was able to return regularly to Europe in this role which also extended elsewhere in the world such as Australia. Additionally, he was a member of the government team for the F-15 and F-16 aircraft and other specialty capabilities deployed in Vietnam and elsewhere. Taking early retirement in 1988, he remained supporting the Air Force working for local area defense contractors including Softech and CACI. He worked with NASIC and AFRL extensively until finally retiring full-time in 2017.
He won many awards for his electronics work throughout his career, including the two he was most proud of the "Distinguished Engineering Alumni award" from the University of Akron in 2015 and the "IEEE Aerospace and Electronics Systems Society's Pioneer Award" in 2004. Subsequently he took on the role of overseeing the IEEE Pioneer Award annual selection and presentation where he and wife Jeannie traveled around the world presenting this award to distinguished inventors such as SiriusXM satellite radio.
There will be a small service for family members accompanied by his interment in the mausoleum at Woodland Cemetery. If you knew Erv, we hope you had fond memories of him. He lived a very fulfilling life.
Please feel free to leave a special message for his family by clicking on, "share memories".
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Erwin Carl Gangl, please visit our flower store.
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