Richard "Dick" Joseph Wangler was born on March 11, 1934 in Loudon Ohio to James Joseph and Irene Pearl Wangler. James was a sharecropper, carpenter and home builder and Irene was a business manager for an auto dealership. Dick had a big sister Mary Lou and two younger brothers Edward and Raymond. He is survived by Mary Lou and Edward, sons Michael and Steve, daughter in law Via and his girl friend JoAnn.

He lived in Ohio, Georgia and Alabama as a child, resulting in a combination of Midwest and Southern values. He attended a Catholic boarding school in Alabama run by priests and he even considered entering the priesthood. He joined the Air Force after high school and then went to junior college in West Palm Beach.

In south Florida he met a pretty school teacher, Peggy, Miss Orchid from China Grove, NC. He wanted to marry Peggy. She told him he'd need to graduate college if he wanted to marry her. They married in Miami in 1956 and Peggy and an the inspired groom moved to Gainesville where Dick earned a bachelors and masters in Electrical Engineering while working as a butcher at the A&P Grocer and for a Chemistry professor at UF. Dick and Peggy had 2 boys Steve and Michael.

After graduation they moved to Maitland, FL and Dick worked at Martin. He and his business partner Bill started a firm in 1984 that grew to over 200 employees by his retirement. He was active in St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, enjoyed woodworking, engineering, and problem solving. He enriched the lives of friends, coworkers and family, and will be missed by them.

Visitation will be held from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, on Friday, August 6, 2021 at DeGusipe Funeral Home, 9001 N. Orlando Ave., Maitland, FL.

Funeral Mass will be held at 1:30 PM, Saturday, August 7, 2021 at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, 861 Maitland Ave, Altamonte Springs, FL 32701

Graveside Service to follow Mass at Glen Haven Memorial Park, Winter Park, FL.

The family of Richard J. Wangler invites you to leave a message of condolence on the Tribute Wall created in his memory.