Dale Dale M Pitsenburger

July 9, 1925 – April 25, 2011

Dale Milton Pitsenburger was born July 9, 1925 to Grace Luella and Milton Porter Pitsenburger near Shevlin, Minnesota. The family was joined by a baby girl, Mavis

Grace on October 3, 1927. When Dale was around three years old his mother dressed him in overalls and put him outside to play, tying him to the clothes line; Mother went inside to take care of baby sister. A little while later a policeman came to the door and asked if this little boy belonged to her. His mother was shocked, embarrassed, but happy to have her son back in her care. His overalls were still tied to the clothes line.

Mavis loved her brother and wanted to go wherever he went and have things like he had. Dad bought her a pair of boots like Dale’s with a pocket knife on the side. Dale loved his little sister and enjoyed pulling her on a sled through the snow and playing with her. Dale enjoyed spending time with his grandparents.

Dale had a lot of farm chores to do – keep the wood box filled, feed the dog, pigs, calves, chickens, and other farm animals. When he was old enough he milked the cows by hand.

For Christmas one year Dale’s father made him a pair of skis; he cut down an oak tree, split it, and put the toes of the slats over a steam boiler so they would curl up, this took several days. Dale enjoyed using the skis. His dad taught him to hunt, fish, and how to set traps for trapping animals for their pelts. The pelts were sent to Chicago to be made into furs for coats and things.

When threshing time came Dale would drive a team of horses and pitch shocks of wheat into the thresher.

Mother would take Dale and Mavis to church she would give them each two pennies for the offering. They walked one-half mile on dirt road to get there. Dale enjoyed church and Sunday school.

Dale attended grade school at Solway, Minnesota; Junior High at Bemidji, Minnesota where he played the violin in the school orchestra. Dale enjoyed roller skating and ice skating. He ice skated on Lake Bemidji. He had two newspaper routes, and helped his parents with finances, and also was able to buy a bicycle. He attended church at the Baptist Church.

The family moved to Superior, Wisconsin in 1940 When Dale was a high school freshman. He missed his friends and relatives in Bemidji. Dale had fun going to the ice cream parlor with school friends during the lunch hour. After school and on Saturdays he worked at the Oldsmobile garage, chasing parts and detailing cars.

On Sundays Dale went to the Baptist church and was active with the youth group Bible Study and other functions connected with this church. Dale was a busy young man, he worked at two gas stations, caddied on the golf course, and attended school dances when he could and kept up with his school work.

In June 1943, Dale enlisted in the Navy, went to Minneapolis for his physical and passed. From there he went to Farragut, Idaho on a troop train and attended boot camp. Next he went to San Diego to the Submarine base; they sent him off to Pacific Beach for Gunnery school. He got the German measles and was in the Balboa Naval Hospital for three weeks and missed his ship. He returned to the Submarine Base waiting for another ship.

He was assigned to the U.S.S. Pocomoke. Dale kept a log of the ships travels while he was aboard. Dale was a signal man and very good with the Morse code and flag signaling.

He traveled all over the Pacific Ocean, was in three major battles and several minor skirmishes from the air. He was at Saipan in battle when word came that the war was over.

From there it was back to the good old U.S.A. Dale had enough points to get his discharge papers and so was discharged from the service at San Pedro, California. Dale received two commendations: one from General Omar N. Bradley for serving, and the other one from Captain E .L. B. Weimer, who was the captain of the ship. This was in March of 1946.

Dale went back to Bremerton, Washington where his mother was living, and not in the best of health.

.

Dale worked at the Navy yard, taking an apprenticeship for printing; he stayed with his mother and worked. They attended the Presbyterian Church; Dale was baptized there, and led the youth group.

Dale also was the Scout Master, and enjoyed taking the scouts hiking in the Olympic Mountains. On one of the outings the leaders put green food coloring in the milk and told the scouts that the high mountain air turned the milk green. Dale also coached Little League, (Norm Dicks was on the team).

It was about this time that Dale’s father asked for a divorce from his mother. This was against the beliefs of Grace, but Milton convinced her it was necessary, and so it was finalized. Dale’s father married Betty Marks, and four children came from this union, adding Pennie, Debra, Jay and Gerald to the Pitsenburger family.

Dale got caught in a reduction in force issue and was transferred to the Army Corps of Engineers in Seattle running a printing press and an Ozalid machine.

From 1954 to 1964, Dale worked for the State Department of Highways, building roads.

On November 9, 1961 Dale married Gail Fountain; she was a delight and kept Dale on his toes. They did a lot of traveling in the States and Canada. She was not a “well” woman, but Dale stayed beside her and took care of her besides his working.

In 1964 while Dale was working for the Dept. of Highways, he slipped out of the truck bed landing on a concrete “island” breaking his back. He was off work for three months.

He was called back to the navy yard, and worked there for almost three years when he was R I F’d again and went to work for the Army Corps of Engineers in Seattle. From there Dale was transferred to Madigan Army Hospital Print Shop.

The commute between Bremerton and Tacoma became too much, and they moved to Tacoma in l968. Dale and Gail bought a home in Tacoma in 1971. In 1974 they began attending church at South Lakeshore Christian Church. Dale became an immersed believer in Christ and member of the church. Dale later had the honor and privilege of baptizing Gail into the body of Christ. Dale served as a deacon ten years and an elder seventeen years, taught a Sunday school class for most of those years.

On August 23, 1983, Gail was delivered into the arms of Jesus. Her mother had gone on just two days before her.

June 2, 1984, Dale married Anna Davis and became a new husband, father of four children, Brenda, Susan, Mary and Jim, and grandfather to five little ones, all in one day! In November Mary and Jim Caswell added Thomas to their family, joining Gregory, age 6, Kristin, 3. Brenda and Kent Kimball have two children, Andra 6, and Brian almost 4. Susan has one daughter, Laura, 5. Jim was in the army, and made it home from Germany, only to be sent to the Honduras for a short tour, but made it home in time for the wedding and to walk his mother down the aisle. (Jim had walked his mother down the aisle for each of his sister’s weddings.)

Dale and Anna went to Hawaii for a ten day honeymoon, five days at Waikiki and five days on Maui. They were home for a few days and went to Montana, going through Glacier National Park and seeing family in Somers and Great Falls. After a few more weeks they went to Canada. The honeymoon kept on being sweet.

Anna’s mother became quite ill and Dale opened his heart and their home to her for she was not able to live alone in her home in eastern Washington. She was a delightful person and blessed their home and the homes of others.

June 17, 1985, Jim Davis married Stephanie Sides, bringing with her two children, Elisha, 3 and Ari, 2. Brandon James was born June 24, 1986. Now Dale has a big family to love and be loved by.

Dale and Anna traveled quite a bit, all over the United States, to Hawaii several times, to Florida a few times, Chicago, California, Arizona, into Mexico, into Canada a few times. A trip to Spain and Portugal was wonderful. Dale enjoyed traveling and having someone to travel with.

Dale attended the Billy Graham crusades, sang in the choir and witnessed to attendees. Dale witnessed to many people, leading them to the Lord.

Dale attended many of the USS Pocomoke reunions, wrote about his ship and gave a copy of the log to his shipmates who attended a reunion.

Dale’s life was full and he will be remembered for his love for the Lord and his love for family and others.

Dale’s health problems took a toll on his quality of life, but never dimmed his glowing countenance, his love for life. He had congestive heart failure, went through several surgeries to aid the longevity of life and quality. He needs to have a valve replaced in the aorta as it is plugged and not allowing the blood to get the oxygen that is needed. He has breathing treatments and is on oxygen at night as he sleeps. Dale fell sometime back and caught his throat on the night stand and since that time has had trouble swallowing. He has had to be on thickened liquids, and they are difficult for him to tolerate. He learned how necessary it is to drink them anyway so he cooperates. His desire was to get well and strong enough to come home and be with Anna. Unfortunately, this did not occur. The Lord called him home on April 25, 2011. Dale was surrounded by family and friends.

He is survived by his wife, Anna, four step children; Brenda Kimball (Kent) of Portland Or, Susan Carrell (Robert) of Port Orchard, WA, Mary Caswell (James) of Graham, WA, and James Davis Jr. (Stephanie) of Lacey, WA. He leaves behind nine grandchildren; Andra Kimball of Ca., Brian Kimball of Vancouver, WA, Laura Leblanc (Melvin) of Puyallup, WA, Greg Caswell (Anastasia) of Graham, WA, Kristin Caswell of Kansas, Thomas Caswell of Virginia, Elisha Sides of Tacoma, WA, Ari Mino (Rhiannon) of Texas, and Brandon Davis of Tacoma, WA. Followed by seven great grandchildren; Julie Caswell, Madelyn Caswell, Kaitlynn Mino, Colton Mino, Brenden Schwebka, Gracie-Anne Davis and Anaiya LeBlanc. Dale is also survived by two brothers, Jay Pitsenburger (Bonnie) of Minneapolis, and Gerald Pitsenburger of Minneapolis, two sisters, Penny Lindblom (Dave) of Minneapolis, Debbie Hughes (James) of Las Vegas, NV, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

He is predeased by his parents Mavis and Milton Pitsenburger.

Dale will be greatly missed by family and friends.