Robert Dale Obituary

Robert James Dale Sr.

Robert James Dale Sr., age 80, of Aurora, passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 18,2024 after many months of battling cancer.

He was born on March 27,1944 in Fertile, Minn., to Norman and Evelyn (Minnett) Dale before their family moved to Babbitt and eventually Embarrass.

After graduating from high school, he took a job at Reserve Mining company for a short time before joining the Air Force and became a jet mechanic. He served in the Vietnam war and raised a family when he came home. He married Suzanne Nelimark and had Robert Jr. and Amy Lynn before they divorced. After a short time, he married Christine Olsen and had another son, Carl Lee and another daughter, Tanya Marie. Karl Lee passed away as an infant and was buried in Ettrick, Wis., near Chris' parents' home.

Together, the family has been to the many places Robert Sr. was stationed including Tacoma, Washington, Spangdahlem Germany, San Bernardino, California, and RAF Fairford in England where he did his last year in the service a s Master Sergeant. His marriage to Chris split up the family in California where Tanya remained with her mother.

When he returned to Minnesota after his many years abroad, he began working with the railroad along the northern border in Rainier, Minn., at the train depot. After the company switched hands, he came back to Embarrass and began working at Fortune Bay where he came to meet Laura Heishman, who he eventually married and settled in Aurora where they lived happily for the last 18 years of their life together.

He loved to fish, play card games like cribbage and pinochle, play holey boards, watch the Vikings and the Twins, watching family members racing stock cars, and go out to Megan's Family restaurant to visit and spend time with friends and family. He had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh and when he was feeling better, he loved to eat.

Surviving him are his wife, Laura Dale, son Robert (Carmen) Dale, daughters Amy Dale and Tanya Dale, Laura'schildren Christopher (Jackie) Heishman, Terri (Adam) Kopel, Crystal Heishman, Ricky Heishman, as well as other siblings, including Norman Jr. who passed away just a couple of months later in February, Rodney (Chris) Dale, Ronnie, Gary (Kathy) Dale, Gwen (Craig) Keskitalo, Tammie Dale (Cal) Lynes, Craig Dale, Wayne "Toivo" (Kathy) Dale, and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his son, Karl Lee, his parents Norman and Evelyn Dale, and

Sister-in-law Linda Dale.

There will be a celebration of life at the Embarrass Town Hall at 11:00 a.m. June 7, followed by the Inurnment at the Waasa Cemetery in Embarrass. Family and friends are welcome to attend.