George Koehler
Dale and I became fast friends when he shook my hand after pretending to pick his nose. Dale loved a good joke and he had a bunch. When it came time to work, no one worked with more energy and tenacity. I know that because I saw him do it. He had an incredibly wide range of interests - from model railroading and amateur rocketry to boat construction and sailing. Incredibly, he actually built a tugboat. I know that because he parked it occasionally in the gully between our two houses. He won first prize with the tugboat in the Coast Guard judging of parade floats, and because he was so thorough and so knowledgeable about motors and cabinet making, asked the Coast Guard to inspect and certify the boat as a working tug, which they did. Everyone in the neighborhood liked Dale because he was easy going, friendly and always helping folks with snow removal, firewood collection, combating ground moles and a zillion other things around the home and all things mechanical. He was a welder, he drag raced motorcycles at 150 mph, maintained voting machines, serviced chain saws and dabbled in lapidary. Dale and his wife Pat are two of the nicest people I've ever met. With his passing he will be missed as a father, husband, confidant and good friend. George and Londa Koehler.