Edgar “Ed” Engler, 80, died suddenly at his home on August 30.  Along with Roger Johnston and Gary Lorenz, he founded Riggers Manufacturing in 1980.  He understood in the 1970s that multiple-stage cylinders were superior to single-stage cylinders in gantries:  “He proceeded to construct the first multiple-stage-cylinder gantry. Each leg had a base built from structural steel shapes that supported three, five-stage dump-truck cylinders. A steel plate joined the cylinder tops and supported on or two header beams.  Lift capacity was 75 tons per leg.”

His obituary in the Racine, Wis. Journal Times, credited him with inventing gantries capable of moving 600 tons and selling them all over the world before retiring and taking up the new challenge of successfully designing and building a 65-foot catamaran.

He is survived by his wife, Bonnie Engler; his son, David Engler; his daughter, Peggy (Bryan) Hayes; grandchildren, Lauren and Mitchell Hayes; his brother, Leon (Sue) Engler of Green Bay; as well as many nieces, nephews and good friends. He was also preceded in death by his brother, Hibbard Engler, Jr.; and sister, Rosella Fuss