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Dick Enderle dies at age 60
Published Friday, September 5, 2008
Wendell native Dick Enderle, 60, who played football as a lineman at Elbow Lake High School, the University of Minnesota, Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants, died Thursday in New York.
In 1965 Gopher football coach Murray Warmath recruited Enderle, a strong farmboy, to the University of Minnesota. He was a three-year starter as offensive guard for the Gophers and was a member of the 1967 Gopher squad that tied for the Big Ten Conference championship, the last University of Minnesota team to accomplish that feat.
That Minnesota Big Ten title team held a reunion in 2004 when Enderle and his former teammates saw their alma mater defeat Penn State 16-7 at the Metrodome. Enderle and his teammates played home games at the old Memorial Stadium on the U of M campus.
Enderle was All-Big Ten in his senior year with the Gophers and he was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons, then coached by former NFL great Norm Van Brocklin. He played three seasons for the Falcons before being traded to the New York Giants, where he played four more seasons. He also saw playing time for San Francisco and Green Bay before hanging up his spikes in 1976.
Enderle played against many future Hall of Famers, including Chicago's Dick Butkus, Minnesota's Alan Page, Los Angeles' Merlin Olsen, Pittsburgh's "Mean" Joe Greene and Dallas star Bob Lilly. Of all these great players, Enderle said that Lilly was his toughest opponent.
His parents and younger siblings later moved to Fergus Falls, where Enderle visited often in recent years. In New York he worked as a carpenter. He and his wife, Valda, lived in Manhattan. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by waterlily (anonymous) on September 6, 2008 at 10:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I AM VERY SAD TO HEAR OF THE LOSS TO YOUR FAMILY. I KNOW HOW PROUD YOU ALL WERE OF RICHARD. HE WILL BE MISSED. HE WAS A GREAT SON, BROTHER, HUSBAND, FRIEND, AND FOOTBALL PLAYER.....DEANNA
Posted by jjeppson (anonymous) on September 7, 2008 at 4:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I heard the news from an ELHS classmate. I have so many good memories of Rich; from playing 4H softball, ELHS football, and all those bus rides. I know your family is proud of his athletic accomplishments, but even greater was Rich's gentle giant kindness. May God ease the pain of his passing.
Joel Jeppson
Posted by gnelson (anonymous) on September 8, 2008 at 12:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have fond memories of Richard from 4-H, junior and senior high school athletics, school, and many other activities. He was fun to be with. I admired his athletic ability, but it was his personality and caring for others that was most wonderful. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and his other friends. I wish you, and all of us, strength of body and peace of mind in this sad time.
Glenn Nelson
Posted by hamellake (anonymous) on September 9, 2008 at 7:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am so very proud of my classmate Dick. We shared many teasing moments in our high school chapter of life. He was so very proud of all of you, his family. Please know that many of us share your loss but I do feel that Dick's spirit will surround you all. Judy Haley Anderson
Posted by FFguy (anonymous) on September 10, 2008 at 3:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A memorial Service for Dick will be held Sunday, September 14th, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls at 3:00 pm
Posted by fergusfallsmom (anonymous) on September 11, 2008 at 12:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My sympathies to the family!
Posted by oldtimer13 (Tom Grout) on September 11, 2008 at 11:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I wrote about Dick in my blog some time ago. All who graduated from ELHS were very proud of him. I can still seem him wrestling there on the mat in the old gym. He always drew quite a crowd. I also remember watching him make the key block in the North South college all star game on TV. All of us younger guys at Elbow Lake looked up to him and what a great example he was.
Tom Grout
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