Dale L. Timberlake, DDS

Dale was born in Portland, Oregon, on July 11, 1927, to Dr. Merritt Timberlake and Edith Hedquist Timberlake. He passed away in hospice on July 23, 2024. He attended high school and college in Seattle, Washington, and graduated from the University of Washington College of Dentistry. For five years he practiced with Dr. Merritt, Dr. Keith, and Dr. Wayne, one of the only families in the country to have a father and three sons practicing together.

Dale and his family moved to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1960 where he established a dental practice until 1995 when a detached retina forced his retirement. While keeping a busy dental schedule in Phoenix, he traveled to Los Angeles to teach at the University of Southern California as a Visiting Professor in Advanced Prosthodontics. Dale was a lecturer and Director for the Aderer Foundation of New York and a lecturer for the United States Public Health Service. He was a co-author of the revised “Arizona Dental Practice Act” with Senator Jon Kyl.

His academic memberships included the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry, the International Academy of Gnathology, the International College of Dentists, and the Arizona State Dental Society. Dale was a life member of the American Academy of Fixed Prosthodontics where he served as a Director for eleven years and as President in 1994.

Dale acted as a board member and volunteer for the Beatitudes Campus of Care. He also served for over twenty-five years at St. Joseph Hospital’s Mercy Care Clinic.

When Dale was not working, he enjoyed skiing, helping anyone who needed a patient instructor. He loved skiing in the West, in particular at Deer Valley, Utah, and Keystone, Colorado. During his military service in Germany, he was on the U.S. Army Ski Team. Dale’s last ski trip was to Sun Valley, Idaho, when he was 85. He liked golfing and tennis on weekends, and over the years he held memberships at Moon Valley Country Club, Pinewood Country Club, and Paradise Valley Country Club. In later years he became a voracious fly fisherman taking trips to Alaska, Canada, New Mexico, and all over Arizona and making many friends at his fly club.

Dale was preceded in death by his two brothers Dr. Keith Timberlake and Dr. Wayne Timberlake of Seattle.

Dale is survived by his wife Karen and his children Karen Bullington (Craig), Richard (Karen), and Deborah Payne (Toby) as well as two stepdaughters Susan Lang (Larry), and Pamela Mitchell. Dale is loved by grandchildren Tara Westrich (Derrick), Jennifer Smith (Paul), Jaime Timberlake, Jared Payne (Megan), Dustin Payne, and step-grands Scott Cushman (Jennifer), Alex Cushman (Amanda), Grant Cushman (Lisa), Matthew Hanifin (Tracy), Ryan Hanifin, and Kristen Kahl (John). Additionally, Dale leaves ten great-grandchildren. He also is remembered by three nieces and two nephews all of Seattle.

The memorial service will be held at the Church of the Beatitudes in Phoenix on Saturday, August 10, starting at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, The Phoenix Symphony, or Hospice of the Valley.