Dale Ungerer

Dale Ungerer

 

Dale A. Ungerer, 84, of rural Hawkeye, died Easter morning, Sunday, April 4, 2021, at his home.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, April 8, 2021, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hawkeye with Rev. Ron Roberts officiating. Burial will follow at Hawkeye Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 7 at Trinity Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall in Hawkeye and for one hour preceding services at the church on Thursday. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Dale’s name to Trinity Lutheran Church, the Hawkeye Fire Department, or to the family for later designation. Becker-Milnes Funeral Home in Hawkeye is assisting Dale’s family. Online condolences may be left at www.beckermilnesrettig.com Dale Alfred Ungerer was born to LeRoy Ungerer and Edna (Pleggenkuhle) Ungerer on March 30, 1937, in West Union, Iowa. In his youth, he was active in Boy Scouts, school plays, Church Youth Group, band (until someone stole/took his drum sticks) and worked on the family farm. Dale married his high school sweetheart, Annagene “Anna” (Suhr) on April 20, 1958, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hawkeye. To this union four children were born in the order Dale requested; boy, girl, boy, girl. Dale worked at Miller & Sage Implement in West Union, Meihie John Deere Dealer in Elkader, H & H in West Union, and NAPA Autor Parts in West Union. While working a short time at Clay Implement in Waterloo, he lost three fingers on his left hand, due to a work injury. The loss of the fingers did not hamper his ability to tinker and often lead to many humorous conversations. He worked weekends painting barns and hauling milk for Ed Christenson of West Union. Dale was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church. He served on Church Council at Trinity Lutheran Church and Zion Lutheran Church in West Union. He found great comfort from reading scripture in any form. He was a member of Men’s Bible Study and taught Sunday school and confirmation, while he was a member of Zion Lutheran Church. Dale was a member of the Republican Party, studied the Constitution, Bible, and the Gift to Gab. 

He had more than his allotted 15 seconds of fame when he built the world’s largest ear of corn out of used gallon milks jugs, and repurposed farm equipment. The Spirit of Hawkeye was in local news, world’s news, National Geographic Magazine, a math book, and the movie, “The Staight Story”. He again gained fame when he attended a Town Hall Meeting and then found himself on Fox News, The Sean Hannity Show, and The Rush Limbaugh Show, after Howard Dean yelled at him to “sit down and shut up”, thus ending Dean’s run for President. Dale survived Polio at the age of 9 and a traumatic farm accident at the age of 80. He graduated Auctioneer School and earned the degree of Colonel. He enjoyed fishing, “cheating” at Wa-Hoo or any game he played with his grandchildren, and telling whoopers “stories’ over and over. He was always one to give advice, whether welcome or not. 

Dale is survived by his wife, Anna of Hawkeye; children, Mark Ungerer of Hawkeye, DeAnn (Tom) Loeb of Jesup, Marin “Marty” (Julie) Ungerer of West Salem, Wisconsin, and Debra “Deb” Ungerer-Nading of Littleton; seventeen grandchildren; twenty-two; great-grandchidlren; two great-great-grandchildren; sister, Janice Johansen of Clermont; and best companion, Toby.

He was preceded in death by his parents, great-grandson, Daniel Hundt; and brother, Harvey Ungerer.

 

 

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