Dale Fredrick Deardorff

Dale Fredrick Deardorff, the son of Delbert M. and Dorothy (Bollerman) Deardorff, was born September 21, 1945, in Jefferson, Iowa, and died March 27, 2008, in the presence of his loving family at the Ottawa Retirement Village in Ottawa, Kan., at the age of 62. He attended grade school in Yale, Iowa, where he graduated from Yale-Jamaica-Bagley High School with the class of 1963. Dale helped his father manage their Iowa farm and attended Ft. Dodge Community College earning an A.A. degree in 1966. Dale attended the University of Northern Iowa from 1966 until his induction into the Army in January, 1968. On October 15, 1967, he was united in marriage to Beverly Christensen of Audubon, Iowa. Dale was inducted into the Army in January 1968, serving with the 7th Infantry Division in Korea. He was honorably discharged as an SP5 and returned home in August of 1970. Dale received commendations for Foreign Service, GCDML, and Hostile Fire Area while serving the country he often spoke of as the greatest country in the world. Upon returning home from the service Dale completed his B.A. in Business from the University of Northern Iowa in 1971. Dale helped open Prestolite Battery Company in Manchester, Iowa, as company comptroller. Dale and Bev moved to Ottawa, Kansas, in 1977 where Dale was comptroller of Bendix Mobile Home in Ottawa. Dale also worked for Ottawa Truck as administrative manager for the Parts Department, Town & Country Supply in Ottawa as commercial account specialist, and Central Fiber Corp., Wellsville, as environmental products market development coordinator. Dale and Bev owned and managed the Ottawa Sears dealer store. Dale was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church and the Nightcrawlers Camping Club. He is survived by his wife, Beverly, of the home and his children, Thomas, Ottawa, Kan.; Mike, Topeka, Kan.; Ryan, Merriam, Kan.; and Aaron, Owasso, Okla.; siblings, Bert Deardorff, Denver, Col.; Sharol Rhoads, Polk City, Iowa; Pam Lynam, Nadean Allen, Sharon Smith all of Panora, Iowa; and eight grandchildren. Cremation is planned. The family will receive friends 6-8 p.m. Sunday, March 30, at Dengel & Son Mortuary, Ottawa, Kan. Memorial services will be held 10 a.m. Monday, March 31, at the mortuary, followed by inurnment at the Highland Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be given to the Franklin County Cancer Society or the Ottawa Seventh Day Adventist Church.