David Dale Gishwiller

David Dale Gishwiller, age 92, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 19, 2026, in Littleton, Colorado, with his loving wife and family by his side.

Dave was born to John and Grace Gishwiller on February 7, 1934, in Wilcox, Nebraska. He grew up on the family farm alongside his brothers, Johnny and Charles, where he forged a lifelong commitment to the values of hard work and perseverance.

A 1952 graduate of Wilcox High School, Dave was a talented athlete who played both basketball and football. He also discovered a deep passion for music, playing drums in the school band and later earning a music scholarship to Midland College in Fremont, Nebraska.

On August 12, 1955, David married the love of his life, Joyce Ellen Mowrey, at the Wilcox Methodist Church. He often reminisced that it was love at first sight from the moment he first saw Joyce in middle school.

Dave's lifelong career with the railroad began during his high school years, working on a track maintenance crew in Nebraska. In 1964, David and Joyce moved to Colorado to raise their growing family. Through decades of dedication, Dave worked his way up to become a highly esteemed train conductor for Amtrak, retiring in 1997 after 43 years of service. In addition to his career on the rails, Dave also worked for Continental Airlines from 1970 to 1985.

Above all, Dave was a man of profound faith. He spent countless hours memorizing scripture and sharing the Gospel with others. Music remained a cornerstone of his life; he sang frequently in church, beautifully accompanied by Joyce on the piano and joined by their sons. Dave was also an avid football fan who spent his autumn weekends happily cheering for his favorite college teams on Saturdays and the NFL on Sundays.

David is survived by his devoted wife of 71 years, Joyce; his five children, Kim Gishwiller of Golden, CO, Jeff (Jeni) Gishwiller of Boerne, TX, Tom (Irene) Gishwiller of Chino Hills, CA, Jim (Nancy) Gishwiller of Monument, CO, and Janda (Scott) Bliek of Castle Rock, CO. He is also survived by his absolute pride and joy-his 15 grandchildren: Melissa, Brandon, Mindy, Kaitlin (Brady), Jacob (Lily), Marriah, Alexander (Johnna), Nathan, Rory, Sean, Jonah, Cassandra (Aaron), Holland, Brody, and Eli; and his great-grandchild, Brooks.

David was preceded in death by his parents, John and Grace; his brothers, Charles and Johnny; and his sisters, Esther, Betty, and Rolene.

He will be dearly missed every single day, but his family takes immense comfort in knowing he is fully restored, rejoicing in the promise that they will see him again in Glory.

A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, October 1st at 10:00 am at Horan & McConaty, 3101 S. Wadsworth Blvd, Lakewood, Colorado. Visitation will be at 9:00 am prior to the service. Interment will take place on October 3, 2026 at 10:00 am at Wilcox Cemetery in Nebraska.

In lieu of flowers, kindly consider donations to Beans5258 to honor Robinio McGraw- someone close to David's heart.