Dale Whitefoot

Dale always said growing up they weren’t allowed to dance, play cards, drink alcohol or smoke, so all that was left to do was work, and work he did for 95 years. He leveled land up until two days before he was admitted to the hospital with Covid-19. Dale was born May 25, 1925 to Albert and Lillie (Bernhagen) Whitefoot at Boelus, NE. He left this earth on Thursday November 19, 2020 on a beautiful warm sunny day.



He graduated from Boelus High School. After high school he farmed with his father near Boelus. Although he was called to serve during WWII, he did not pass his physical. Later he was called to serve again and spent 18 months with the Army in South Korea and was discharged with the rank of Master Sergeant. He said M*A*S*H* accurately portrayed the hot summers and frigid winters, just as he experienced them. In the Army he ran a road grader, bulldozer and cable scraper building major roads in Korea. This began his love of playing in the dirt. Most farmers got their start with assistance from their parents, but Dale didn’t have this. He bought his farm, house and tractors on his own. Dale raised cattle and hogs as well sugar beets, milo, soybeans and corn.



On February 6, 1955, he married Jeanne Stubblefied in Shelton, NE, where they farmed and then retired for 62 years before Jeanne died on May 12, 2017. To this union three children were born - Lori, Camille and Brent. Dale was a Master Mason and also a member of the Scottish rite. He was made Knight Commander of the Court of Honor and Coroneted a 33-degree Inspector General Honorary. Dale served as the Master of Kadosh for the Hastings Consistency. He was also the President of the Hastings Scottish Rite Foundation. Dale was a Noble in the Tehama Shrine with the Ft Kearney Shrine Club. He enjoyed being in parades with his Shriner tin lizzie tow truck.



He was a member of Eastern Star. He belonged to Toastmasters, T-bone club and the Grand Island Saddle Club. He was active in Farm Bureau, served on the Jackson Township board, and also served on the board of directors of Southern Public Power for many years.



Dale was a member of the Shelton United Methodist Church serving on the building committee to build the educational unit. He later transferred his membership to the Wood River Methodist Church serving on various committees.



He is survived by his daughters Lori Christensen and granddaughter Kathryn, Camille (Allen) Clague,and grandsons Nathan and Ben, son Brent (Sheryl) and granddaughter Alexa (Brandon) Grzywa and great-grandsons Emmet and Harrison, grandson Justin (Jill Peters) Whitefoot and granddaughter Tana (Cooper) Downs and sister-in-law Lenore (Baker) Stubblefield.



Dale was preceded in death by his wife, parents, in-laws Dale and Adelaide Stubblefield, brother Delmar and sister-in-law Lois Whitefoot, sister Donna and brother-in-law Riley Eriksen, and brother-in-law Robert (Bob) Stubblefield.



In lieu of flowers, the family requests you share a memory or story about Dale.

Memorials are suggested to the Wood River United Methodist Church or Shelton Fire and Rescue



Due to COVID-19 the family is having a private graveside service, Saturday December 5, 2020 at 1:00pm in the Shelton Cemetery. They plan a celebration of life in the future. Apfel Funeral Home is assisting the family.