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| Dale A. Williams, Age 77 |
| Visitation Location: |
Benson Funeral Home, St. Cloud, MN |
| Visitation Date/Time: |
Friday, September 2, 2016 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM |
| Funeral Time: |
Saturday, September 3, 2016 at 10:30 AM |
| Funeral Location: |
First United Methodist Church, Sartell, Minnesota |
| Burial Location: |
North Star Cemetery, St. Cloud, MN |
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DALE A. WILLIAMS, 77
Waite Park
October 30, 1938 - August 30, 2016
Dale Arden Williams, age 77, Waite Park, MN entered the Lord's presence on August 30, 2016.
Funeral services will be Saturday, September 3, 2016 at 10:30 AM at First United Methodist Church, Sartell, MN. Visitation will be Friday, September 2, 2016 from 4:00 ot 7:00 PM at Benson Funeral Home, St. Cloud, MN and one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Burial will be in North Star Cemetery, St. Cloud, MN.
Dale was born in Greenfield, Massachusetts on October 30, 1938, he was the son of the late Ronald Walter and Vesta Vera (nee York) Williams, brother of Jordan Deane Williams of Clinton, Maine.
Dale and his family left Massachusetts for Branford, Connecticut and later settled on a family farm in Clinton, Maine in 1948. While growing up in Clinton, Dale was a good student, played on the high school basketball team, studied piano with his mother and participated in the life of his home church Clinton Baptist Church.
Dale graduated as Salutatorian from Clinton High School and was awarded a science scholarship from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana where he studied chemistry going on to earn his Masters degree from Iowa State University and his PhD at Wayne State University. While at Taylor, Dale met Edythe Brown, a Music Education major from Brown City, Michigan, in choir and they were married in 1961.
He was a Chemistry professor at Thiel College in Greenville, Pennsylvania and at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Dale and Edythe welcomed four children into their family - Eileen, Ryan, Leanna and Priscilla. Dale supported the many academic, athletic and musical activities of all four of his children throughout their school years. During his years in Tulsa, Dale and his family were also active members of the Boston Avenue Methodist Church, where he and Edythe were members of the Chancel Choir.
In 1987, Dale and his family moved to St. Cloud, Minnesota where he joined the faculty at St. Cloud State University and ultimately served as Associate Dean of the College of Science and Engineering until retiring in 2007. He also maintained membership in the American Chemical Society throughout his academic career.
Dale was a beloved and supportive father and husband, who always put family first. His Christian faith guided him throughout his life and led to a commitment to serving his home church of First United Methodist Church of the St. Cloud region. In recent years, he also gave particular support to the Brown Memorial Methodist Church in his hometown of Clinton, Maine.
He was also known for his rich, beautiful and often booming bass voice, an anchor for the many choirs he enjoyed singing with over the years including his church choir at the FUMC-St. Cloud and the Minnesota Center Chorale. In addition to his great love of classical music, he was a loyal fan of the Boston Red Sox, avid traveler and adventurous diner, often sharing new destinations with family and friends.
Dale's Surviving are a wife of 55 Years, Edythe Brown Williams; daughter Eileen Marie Williams Chambers (Craig Chambers and daughter Celia); son Ryan Bradford Williams (Nicki Camp Williams and son Wyatt and daughter Bridget); daughter Leanna Laurel Williams; and daughter Priscilla Jean Williams Ohta (Taisuke Ohta).
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be sent to the First United Methodist Church of the St. Cloud area where gifts received will support a special music fund in Dale's memory. |
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