Featured obituary: Dale Meisinger

Dale Meisinger met his future wife, Patsy Ann, at a very unromantic locale - on a public bus in Charleston, S.C.

When the two got off the bus that rainy day, though, he very romantically offered his umbrella to her, saying it would give him a reason to come back.

Just six days later, the couple were married, and last week they celebrated their 40-year anniversary.

On Friday, Mr. Meisinger died in a traffic accident in Saluda County.

"It was just a total shock," said Daisy Meisinger, his daughter. "The thing I'll remember about him most was his smile and the way he looked at my mom."

Mr. Meisinger's children said that he was a unique father and that they enjoyed working alongside him in his well-known chimney-sweeping business, Lucky Dale Chimney Sweep.

Dion Meisinger, one of Mr. Meisinger's sons, said his father became interested in cleaning chimneys when the family moved to North Augusta in the 1970s and had a fireplace for the first time.

"He needed somebody to clean it, but we couldn't find anyone in the paper," the younger Mr. Meisinger said.

"So he went to school and learned himself."

From that point on, being a chimney sweep was Mr. Meisinger's passion. He nicknamed himself Lucky Dale and opened a business of the same name, which his wife has operated since his retirement last year.

Dion Meisinger said Germans believe chimney sweeps are natural good luck charms, which is why his father added "lucky" to his name and took part in the German tradition of kissing brides before their weddings.

"That was his life, and he really loved it," Daisy Meisinger said.

"Lucky Dale" Meisinger also was a charter member of the National Chimney Sweeper Guild and held a national meeting of chimney sweeps at his home each year.

"He figured that you're always going to meet other chimney sweeps and rather than be in competition with each other, they should help each other out," Dion Meisinger said.

Mr. Meisinger was also interested in records and birds, maintaining a collection of more than 4 million records and periodically raising thousands of parakeets and exotic birds.

Mr. Meisinger is survived by his wife, three sons, two daughters, three brothers, two sisters, 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Reach Dena Levitz at (706) 823-3339 or dena.levitz@augustachronicle.com.

Dale Meisinger: Chimney sweep was also a bird lover, raising thousands of parakeets and exotic birds.