In Memory of Dale V. Stauffer

Dale V. Stauffer, age 87, of Ida Grove, Iowa passed away on Friday, October 2, 2020, at his residence of Ida Grove, Iowa.

   Dale V. Stauffer age 87, passed away in his home Friday October 2, 2020, after a long battle with cancer.

  Dale was born December 29th, 1932, on a farm between Battle Creek and Ida Grove, Iowa, just south of the Maple River. He was the youngest child of Samuel and Nellie (Alexander) Stauffer. Dale attended Corbin No. 9 county school and then started high school in Battle Creek. In the spring of 1947, the Stauffer’s moved to Ida Grove and Dale transferred to Ida Grove High School where he graduated in 1950.

    On June 18, 1951, Dale married Betty Wright. Shortly after, Dale was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1953. He served 16 months stationed in Korea and was discharged as a Staff Sergeant in November of 1954. In 1955, Dale opened the new Phillips 66 station in Ida Grove and later sold the station to work for the Ida Grove creamery. June 1, 1956, Dale and Betty happily welcomed their daughter Teresa. Dale along with his daughter Teresa were both baptized in the Presbyterian church in 1957.

   In the spring of 1957, Dale started farming on his parent’s farm west of Ida Grove and later purchased the farm in 1965. In 1985, Dale rented the farm and started team driving with Betty for Mau Trucking. The couple enjoying their coast to coast adventures. In 1988, Dale bought equipment to commence farming again.

   Dale was a member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church of Ida Grove. A Farm Bureau member as well as a member of the McNamara-Moore Post No. 61 of the American Legion of Ida Grove. In 2000, Dale and Betty bought an RV park model home in a senior living park in Phoenix, Arizona. They spent their winters there enjoying time with their daughter, son-in-law and granddaughters. They also made many new friends and enjoyed dancing along with activities at the resort.

   Dale leaves to mourn his wife of 69 years, Betty Stauffer of Ida Grove, IA; daughter, Teresa (John) Silvers of Phoenix, AZ; three granddaughters, Whitney Westendorf of Albuquerque, NM; and Kayla and Kristen Westendorf of Phoenix, AZ; sister-in-law, Gladys Crawford of Sloan, IA; along with many nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

   He is preceded in death by his parents, Samuel and Nellie Stauffer; a stillborn son (1960); four sisters, Leona (Maurice) Stewart, Vera Mae (Everett) Bugge, Edith (John) Rabe, and Nellie Joyce (Verdene) Helkenn; brother Ernest (Ardis) Stauffer; sisters-in-law, Grace Armstrong and Alyce (Dale) Anderson; and  brothers-in-law, Tom Leesly of Oto, IA and Don Crawford of Canada.