Thief River Falls - Dale A. Nelson, 57, died Wednesday, June 24, 1998 at his home in Thief River Falls.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, June 27 at 2 p.m. at the Green Funeral Chapel in Thief River Falls. Services were conducted by members of the Masonic Lodge of Thief River Falls, and military rites were provided by the VFW and American Legion Posts of Thief River Falls. Grace Hammer was the organist. Casketbearers were members Masonic Lodge of the Thief River Falls. Burial was in St. Bernard's Catholic Cemetery in Thief River Falls.
Dale A. Nelson was born on February 5, 1941 in Greenbush, the son of Curtiss and Beatrice (Bail) Nelson. He was baptized in the Catholic faith. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1959 and attended the University of North Dakota for three years. He was married to Irene Johnson in 1960.
Dale entered the United States Army on January 18, 1963 at Fargo, ND and was honorably discharged on January 17, 1966. He attained the rank of SP4 E-4 and served at Redstone Arsenal, AL.
Following his military service, Dale moved to Green Valley, AZ where he worked for Mountain Bell Telephone. On August 23, 1969 he married Marilyn Dargus Slager.
In September of 1972 he returned to Thief River Falls and worked for the Soo Line Railroad until 1977 when he went to work for Northwestern Bell. He later returned to the Soo Line Railroad and worked there until an injury forced him to retire. He married Karla Kelly on September 3, 1983 at Littlefork.
Dale tended bar at the Rusty Nail for a short time, worked for Thief River Jobbing, drove school bus and worked for Don and Jerry Ulferts whose business was located at the Hartz warehouse. He was currently the owner and operator of Midway Company in Thief River Falls.
He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Thief River Falls and was a past Master. He enjoyed hunting and spending time at his hunting shack.
Dale is survived by two children, Taylor and Tanner Nelson of Thief River Falls; five adopted children, Greg (Diana) Nelson of Thief River Falls, Jeff (Connie) Nelson of Viking and Bryan (Jody) Nelson, Steven Nelson and Karla Sparby, all of Thief River Falls; one sister, Janet (husband Earl Myles) Curtis of Arlington, VA; one aunt; several cousins; and many other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and one sister, Marcia Rae in infancy.