Ervin Albert Neitzel, 94, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, passed away on March 18, 2025.

Born on February 2, 1931, in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, to Ervin Albert and Alice Schaefer Neitzel, Ervin developed a lifelong love for baseball and jazz at an early age. He often traveled by train to attend Chicago Cubs games and saw legendary performers such as Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, and Ella Fitzgerald.  He attended the University of Wisconsin, earning a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. During his studies, he was drafted into the Korean War and served in Germany, where he repaired coding machines and toured Central Europe.

On December 3, 1955, he married Virginia Dale Neitzel (née Stafford) in Beaver Dam. The couple moved to Chicago, where Ervin began his career with Western Electric (AT&T). They welcomed a daughter in 1957 and a son in 1960. In the early 1960s, the family relocated to Atlanta, where Ervin’s passion for gardening flourished. Inspired by Southern landscapes and the work of Frederick Law Olmsted at Biltmore Estate, his home gardens earned local awards and recognition in the Atlanta press.

After retiring following the breakup of AT&T, Ervin built his dream home on five acres in Alpharetta, Georgia. He completed the Master Gardener Program and worked as a landscape contractor. In 1989, he and Virginia moved to Homestead, Florida. After Hurricane Andrew destroyed their home in 1992, Ervin played a key role in restoring the community’s landscape and was recognized by the City of Homestead.

A devoted member of the Lutheran Church, Ervin contributed through teaching, administration, and groundskeeping. He valued passing on his Christian faith and was known for his cheerful spirit, sense of humor, and eagerness to teach others.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia, and his brother Harold. He is survived by his daughter Stephanie; son Scott; grandchildren Leonardo, Alejandra, Brycen, and Alana; great-grandchildren Elizabeth and Spencer; and many nieces and nephews.

A private religious service will be held on Sunday, June 22, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church at Weston, 580 Indian Trace, Weston, Florida 33326. The service will be livestreamed on YouTube at St. Paul Weston. The burial will take place at South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth at 12:30 p.m. A Memorial Service will be held on June 22, 2025, from 03:00 PM to 04:00 PM at St. Paul Lutheran Church 580 Indian Trace. The Service will be live streamed on YouTube St. Paul Weston. The burial will be at the South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth, Florida Monday June 23rd, 2025 at 12:30 PM.