Harold Wenzle Gienapp

Harold Gienapp, 83, of Beverly Hills, Florida, passed away on the afternoon of January 8th, with his two sons, Rodney and Russell, by his side. He was born in 1941 in Madison, South Dakota, to Bill and Aleda Gienapp.

Harold was a proud veteran of the U.S. Air Force, where he served as a teletype technician holding top-secret clearance. After his military service, he married Margaret Kennedy, and together they raised their two sons on a horse farm in Minnesota.

In 1984, during the height of the early 1980s farm crisis, Harold and Marge embraced the American pioneer spirit. They sold their horse farm in Minnesota and moved to Florida, seeking a better life. Harold has been a resident of Citrus County for 40 years, supervising the construction of foundations, roads, and infrastructure for numerous shopping centers and communities in west-central Florida. Admired for his quiet charm and broad smile, Harold was loved by his neighbors, friends, and family alike. He earned a reputation as a man who got things done and was deeply respected by his colleagues.

Harold had an innate ability to find solutions to any challenge. Whether repairing, redesigning, or rebuilding, he was a true "jack of all trades"-fixing cars, renovating houses, raising horses, and consistently completing large construction projects ahead of schedule and under budget.

In his retirement years, Harold enjoyed traveling every summer across the U.S. and Canada, visiting family and friends. With his quirky and loving dog, Pooka, by his side he drove in large circles around the continent-visiting his sisters in California and reconnecting with family and friends in South Dakota, Minnesota and all points in between. He also cherished spending time with his grandchildren in Ontario, Canada, where he built them a treehouse, attended dance recitals, school plays, and celebrated graduations.

He is survived by his sons, Rodney Gienapp and Russell Gienapp; his daughters-in-law, Mitz Evans Gienapp and Kari Svenneby; his sister, Dottie Boyd; and his two granddaughters, Maia and Liv. Harold was preceded in death by his wife, Marge, and his sister, Betty Ernst.

A memorial service will be held on February 18th at 11:00 a.m. at Fero Funeral Home in Beverly Hills, FL, with a gathering afterward to celebrate his life.

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