Dennis Elwood Gelling, 77, of Aberdeen, SD, passed away on December 25, 2025, after a courageous 19-month battle with ALS. He was a devoted husband to Wanda (Schaunaman) Gelling and a loving father to Curt Gelling and Kelly (Gelling) Burgard.

A Memorial Service will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Schriver's Memorial Chapel, with Pastor Brad Felix officiating. Military Honors will follow the service. 

A time for fellowship and lunch will follow at Schriver's Memorial Fellowship Center.

Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, January 9, at Schriver's Memorial Chapel. Visitation continues one hour before the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to ALS Organization or Midwest Honor Flight.

Dennis' service can be viewed here.

Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements. Family and friends may sign the online guestbook at www.schriversmemorial.com. Services will be recorded and posted on Schriver’s Facebook following the service.

Dennis Elwood Gelling was born to Clifford “Bud” and Dorothy (Coffman) Gelling on July 6, 1948, in Webster, SD. He attended Barnard School and also drove the school buses at 16. This is where he discovered his lifelong passion for auto mechanics, and repairing buses and his own vehicles. After High School graduation, he attended North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, ND, for auto mechanics. Immediately after graduating, he was drafted into the US Army, starting basic training on his 21st birthday in 1969, and served until July 1, 1971.

After basic training before his deployment in the Vietnam War, he married his high school sweetheart, Wanda Schaunaman on November 22, 1969. He served his country in Vietnam for one year, then finished his deployment in Anchorage, Alaska, for seven months. Continuing his love for vehicles, he earned extra money flipping vehicles and was known as “the Army car salesman.” Wanda and Curt joined him, driving their El Camino 2,945 miles back to Aberdeen, a marriage bonding event.

Upon returning home, he took his first full-time job on July 6, 1971, with Aberdeen Motors, working for Julius Kirschenmann, a lifelong mentor and friend. In 1990, he started his own auto repair shop, Gelling’s Auto Service, on 3rd Avenue, then moved to its current location on Roosevelt in 1993. He grew this business from four employees to eight, three bays to 10, ensuring every customer received a repaired vehicle! Working for over 56 years, he was committed to going into the shop up until two weeks before his passing.

In his spare time, he could be found at the race track, fishing, or on his snowmobile. These hobbies and interests helped define who he was. His love for car racing, fishing, and snowmobiling was something he shared with his children, leaving a mark on them that will never fade.

His vacations included trips to the Black Hills, Yellowstone, the Big Horns, Togwotee, and Michigan for snowmobiling; fishing at the River, in Canada, and in Minnesota; and racing all over the Midwest, and attending NASCAR races in Bristol, Las Vegas, Charlotte, and Michigan. These were often enjoyed with his family, friends, and anyone who would go!

Dennis was an active member of the Aberdeen Drift Busters Snowmobile Club and Jobee Acre’s Association, serving on the boards, leading rides, projects, and keeping the subdivision cleared of snow.

His work ethic, perseverance through adversity, business acumen, innovative solutions, love for animals, and storytelling are a few things that Dennis will be remembered for. Throughout his ALS battle, he continued to live life, participating in Midwest Honor Flight Mission 21, attending car races, traveling to his grandson Justen’s wedding, working, and mentoring others up until the end.

Dennis loved watching, supporting, and coaching Curt’s car racing for over 30 years, and then even more so when his grandson, Chase, began racing in 2020. He was their biggest fan and will continue to watch over them.

Dennis is survived by his wife of 56 years, Wanda Gelling; his mother Dorothy Dockter; his son Curt Gelling; his daughter, Kelly (Shawn) Burgard; his grandchildren: Justen (Kelsey) Gelling, Sydney Gelling, Chase Gelling, Nathan (Cara) Burgard and Lauren Burgard; his great-granddaughter Maeve Gelling; his brother, Doug Gelling; his sister Nancy Vining; and many friends and extended family who will miss him dearly. We find comfort in knowing that his legacy lives on through the lessons he taught us, the love he shared, and the memories we will cherish forever.

Dennis was preceded in death by his father, Bud Gelling, and all of his grandparents.

Dennis especially loved and had a special bond with Wanda’s family: Charles & Arlene Schaunaman (deceased), Diane & Bud Dunkel, Larry & Cyndy Schaunaman, Neil & Lora Schaunaman, and Karla & Dale Strege, all of whom treated him as their own son and brother.