Wayne 'Guba' Gensmer

Gensmer, Wayne "Guba" One of the "Greatest Generation"! Wayne "Guba" Gensmer passed away on August 28th, Sunday at his home in Edina MN surrounded by his family. He had suffered from COPD. Wayne was a graduate of South High. And a WW II Vet who served in the Navy on the island of Guam. Upon his return from Guam he attended tech school and became the youngest Sales Manager in the country for General Foods and later for McGarvey Coffee. He continued in the food industry by purchasing the Henry's Hamburger franchise in 1960 and built 32 restaurants or drive-in's in Wisconsin and Minnesota. It was a pre-McDonald's idea for 10 cent hamburgers. His next enterprise was Senty Enameling which employed over 200 people to do cosmetic painting for I.B.M., Boeing Airlines and General Motors in Bloomington, MN.. It was sold in 1977 and Wayne moved on to build American Boarding Kennels in Burnsville, MN. His love of dogs continued with his son Scott who started the first Invisible Fence dealership in the metro area. Eventually, the business grew becoming a retail-wholesale operation which had over 30 dealers in 6 states representing the Invisible Fence brand pet containment systems. His son Brian became the originator and developer of Bearpath Golf and Country Club in Eden Prairie in the years 1992-1996. Wayne joined him in this development and was one of the original owners of Bearpath. His friends often questioned him with "how many businesses did you start"? Sports was his love at South High and later on semi-professional teams! He played basketball for Newburg Studios and National League Fast Pitch Softball for three years. He made the all-Star team for Fast Pitch Softball and played in the world's tournament playing 3rd base in '61 and '62. Golf was truly his love and he was written up in Readers Digest when four outstanding golfers from Edina all shot 77 on the same day! Bill Zeske, Bob Pedersen, Babe LeVoir, and Wayne in July of 1982! He is survived by his wife Barbara; son Brian (Linda), Scott (Daisy Williams), Katrina Gerry (Ross), Greg Radke (Anne), and Earl Radke (Monica); grandchildren Sara Gensmer, Laura Villano, Amy Gensmer, Mike Gensmer, Chloe Radke, Phoebe Radke, Shanti Gerry, Sanjay Gerry; and great-grandchildren Makenzie and Cora Gensmer. Wayne was preceeded in death by his first wife Viola Gensmer; brothers Weldon (RoseAnn) and Leslie (Betty). He will be sorely missed for his love of family, knowledge of all sports and good humor! Memorial Service at Normandale Lutheran Church at 11 a.m. on Wednesday August 31st with visitation one hour prior to the service. Washburn-McReavy.com Edina Chapel 952-920-3996

Tributes

Wayne 'Guba' Gensmer

August 28, 2016

Tributes

Wayne 'Guba' Gensmer

August 28, 2016

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