Dale A. Wilson

Dale Arthur Wilson, 79, passed away on May 26, 2026. A visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at McLaren’s Chapel in West Des Moines with casual dress requested. A private burial will be held at a later date at Resthaven Cemetery.

Dale was born August 22, 1946 in the Sioux Rapids Hospital, the fifth of seven children to Oscar Girvin Wilson and Viola May Nichols of Marathon, IA. He spent his childhood days on the family farm originally homesteaded by his grandparents, Arthur Leslie Wilson and Elsie May Combs in 1904. Dale’s formative years were spent learning to milk cows, feed cattle and hogs and gather chicken eggs. His high school years were spent in 4-H, FFA, music activities, and football and baseball games with his first coach being his father, Oscar.

At age 17, he enlisted in the Navy following his older brothers in military service to their country. Dale graduated from the Great Lakes Naval Academy and preceded to “A” school in Millington, TN, training on the reciprocating engine as a mechanic. He was assigned to the VT27 in Corpus Christi, TX.

Dale came home on leave and married his high school sweetheart, Raylene L. Goerner of Laurens, IA and moved to Corpus Christi. He continued his naval duties and Raylene worked in medical records at the local hospital. After his discharge, they returned to the Omaha area where Dale worked for Union Pacific Railroad while continuing to play baseball.

He enrolled at Southwest Community College and continued baseball. Their first son, Robert Dale was born in December of 1970 and the family moved to the Des Moines area for work opportunities. His second son, Joshua David was born in October of 1978, two months after he joined the Des Moines Fire Department. Dale retired from the fire department on January 1, 1995 and really enjoyed his work and friendships while on the department, especially Saturday ham and beans at Station 42.

He had an insatiable interest in family genealogy and completed two books of his family history and made trips to Ireland and Scotland in search of records. Dale and Raylene sold the “big” house and moved to a townhome in Urbandale to enjoy their days together. Once again, illness returned and he entered hospice.

Those left to cherish Dale’s memory are his wife of 59 years, Raylene; sons, Robert (Jill) and Joshua (Kristin); sister, Rose (Rick) Nutting; eight grandchildren, Tiegan (Hannah), Cooper, Jackson, Benjamin, Tyson, Ryder, Brianna (Miles) and Corrigan; three great-grandchildren, Benson, Body, and Samara; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Carole Schmidt; brothers, Bruce, Roy, Keith, and Ralph; and nephew, Michael.

Memorials may be directed to the Iowa Firefighter Memorial in Coralville, IA.