He was born to Louis and Katharyne Daigger on December 29, 1945. Dale was the oldest of four children, born on his grandmother’s farm near Madrid, Nebraska.The family’s early history is founded in western Nebraska: Madrid, Wallace, Harrison, and Bridgeport from 1957; he graduated from Bridgeport High School in 1964. He made many lifelong friendships in Bridgeport while maintaining contact with his graduating classmates throughout his life. He was athletic, participated in varsity sports and also excelled scholastically. He attended Scottsbluff Junior College at Scottsbluff, Nebraska, for two years and then finished his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Dale started working at an early age delivering newspapers on his bike in Bridgeport at age twelve. In his teens he was a printer’s devil for the Bridgeport News-Blade, melting type and feeding the Linotype machine.

After earning his Bachelor degree, he worked for Scottsbluff Junior College until he was lured to Cordova, Alaska, where he was hired as the city’s finance director in 1985. He was the acting city manager for a short time after the Valdez oil spill until he moved to Anchorage, Alaska.

His work history ended with retirement from RurAL CAP Alaska as an accountant.

Dale always had a job, saving money to buy a Mercury Comet when he was seventeen, which got traded for a 1959 Chevy Impala convertible. He was generous in lending the cars to a younger brother who didn’t yet have a car, but had a girlfriend. He carried that generous trait throughout his life and always had a spot in his heart for forgiveness.

In 1985 Dale received a Parkinson’s diagnosis where his traits of calm acceptance and resilience to life’s curves allowed him to cope, adjust and survive each debilitating progression of the disease for 38 years.

Dale is survived by his children; Brian (Nebraska), Angie (Nebraska), Jessica (Alaska), Brandon (Alaska) and Drew (Arizona), brothers; Dean (Missouri), Dennis (Washington) and many grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and sister Diana.

A celebration of life is scheduled for 1 p.m. on October 8, 2023, at the Russian Jack Park Chalet at 1600 Lidia Selkregg Lane, Anchorage, AK. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Parkinson’s Foundation on his behalf.