Dale Forest Mader

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Dale Forest Mader, 94, of Colton passed away Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at his home.

Funeral services will begin at 11:00 AM Saturday, April 2, 2016 at First Lutheran Church in Colton. Burial will be in Minnehaha Lutheran Cemetery, rural Colton.

Visitation will begin at 4:00 PM with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00 PM Friday at Minnehaha Funeral Home in Colton.

Dale was born on January 28, 1922, the fifth of seven children born to Forest and Minnie (Timmerman) Mader of Montrose, SD. He was baptized and grew up in Ramsey Baptist Church, rural Montrose. Dale attended Orland School near Madison, SD. On November 14, 1946 he married Marlene Hetland of Montrose, SD. They farmed near Humboldt, SD and Montrose, SD until purchasing a farm near Colton, SD in 1963 where they farmed until retirement.

Dale loved farming. He devoted his entire life to the farm. Dale was able to fix almost everything. If there wasn’t a part available he would just figure out how to make his own. He also enjoyed going to the races. He was even able to drive his son’s sprint car at the Hartford Speedway at the age of 81. Dale competed and won in the Senior Division of the South Dakota State Corn Husking Competition at the age of 90. His face would light up whenever the grandchildren, great grandchildren and most recently, great-great grandchild would come to visit with him.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Marlene, Colton, SD; sons, Don (Connie), Mesa, AZ, Rodney (Gwen), Claremont, SD and Ken (Debbie), Colton, SD; daughter, Nancy (Creighton) Warne, Colton, SD; 8 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild. He was preceded in death by infant son, James; brothers, Lawrence, Clarence, and Vern (Bud) and sisters, Violet Grayson, Hazel Hetland and Rose Fokken.