Bob passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Aurora, Ont., at the age of 84.
He was born in Kirkland Lake, Ont., to William and Marion Dengler and is survived by his beloved wife of 38 years, Patricia; his children, Steven (Bruna), Sandy, Heather (Stefan), and Andrea (Kevin); his grandchildren, Raffaele, Samantha, Jayden, Beric, Dylan, Daniel, and Nora; his brother, Peter (Barb); and Patricia鈥檚 siblings, Lorraine (Bob), Elmer, and June.
Bob had a passion for travel that took him and Pat on many wonderful adventures together. They climbed to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro when Bob was 74. A year later they walked the Camino de Santiago Trail in Spain. They visited Silverback Gorillas in Rwanda and went on many African safaris. Vacations with friends were always on the books, visiting New Zealand, golfing in South Africa, travel to Iceland, and, most recently, their holiday in Bora Bora. Most cherished was his trip to Disney ,where he took his entire family. They also enjoyed golfing with friends all over the world. Bob鈥檚 love for golf was only surpassed by his passion for flying and fast cars. He managed to fit several lifetimes worth of exploits into his own, with never a dull moment.
From the depths of the Earth to the heights of the sky, Bob鈥檚 indomitable spirit was legendary. In 2005, at the age of 66, he earned his helicopter pilot鈥檚 licence. In 2017, Bob and his son, Steven, flew the Canada 150 Global Odyssey, the first Canadian circumnavigation of the world by helicopter. Bob also had an affinity for beautiful cars. He particularly adored Ferraris and was a dedicated fan of the Ferrari Formula 1 Team.
Bob worked as a hard rock miner during his university years, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering from Queen鈥檚 in 1965. He joined Redpath Mining as VP and general manager, developing numerous projects around the world. In 1980 he founded a new firm with William (Bill) Shaver, Dynatec Mining Limited.
Bob and Bill grew Dynatec from a small startup into a truly international force. Under their leadership, Dynatec expanded into the U.S. and developed groundbreaking equipment and processes now widely used in the mining industry. Bob also lectured tirelessly on mining safety from university campuses to global conferences. His many contributions to the mining industry were recognized with an Honourary Doctorate from Queen鈥檚 in 1988 and the Canadian Institute of Mining Metallurgy and Petroleum鈥檚 McParland Memorial Award in 1990. After first bringing the company public, he retired as CEO in 2005 and served as vice-chairman of the board of directors and an officer of the company until 2007.
Bob lived a life of extraordinary breadth, making an indelible mark on everyone he encountered. He leaves behind a legacy of love, loyalty, and laughter. He will be remembered always with affection.