Gerald Langin made his last cast on July 25, 2024.
Gerald was born to Frances and Bernice Langin April 13, 1942 at the Deadwood Hospital. After WWII they initially settled in Richland, Washington, but by 1949 they returned to Sturgis. Langin Auto Salvage was the center of Gerald’s time where he worked on anything with a motor on his journey to become a mechanic. Gerald graduated from Sturgis Brown High School in 1961 where he lettered in football and basketball and a member of SMAS. After high school he attended SDSU, where he discovered college was not his course. He was soon drafted into the U.S. Army and promptly sent to Vietnam, serving two tours. During his Army service, Gerald was bestowed the Service Medals for Vietnam, National Defense, and Army Commendation for Military Merit. During his tours he was exposed to Agent Orange, which eventually succumbed his life.
Returning from Vietnam, Gerald first worked in the mines in Denver, but determined that Sturgis was his home and he never left. Gerald was on the Sturgis police force for many years, but his path was always as a mechanic. When Frances retired from the auto salvage, Gerald took over the business until he retired, providing parts and services for everyone.
Gerald was an amazing friend and was always volunteering his time to serve the community, including donating cars to the fire department for their training. Gerald taught the Hunter Safety course in person for many years. Gerald was never one to sit around; earning his black belt in Tae Kwon Do, as well as a sharpshooter winning many awards on the firing range, an avid hunter and fisher with many stories and pictures to prove it. There was never a trout he didn’t like, or a cup of coffee with the morning crew.
Gerald was preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Bernice Langin, and survived by his brother, Rick Langin and many cousins.
Although he never married, he had a long term relationship with Penny Harvey Green and from that had a special bond with her children, Toni Green Auld of Virginia Beach, VA; Tim Green of Pueblo, CO; Tammy Green of Sand Springs, OK, as well as their children.
Friends and family are invited for Gerald’s Celebration of Life at Black Hills Funeral Chapel, Sturgis, SD, Saturday, October 5, 2024 at 1:00 p.m.
