Dallas L. Kibbie (1941-2021)

KIBBIE, SAILING, PETERSEN

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 10/13/2021 at 21:31:44

Dallas L. Kibbe, 80, of Ames, formerly of Cedar Rapids, passed away on Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021, at the Israel Family Hospice House in Ames.

Funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 14, at Christ Community Church, 5501 George Washington Carver Ave., Ames, Iowa. Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service at the church. The family welcomes those attending the service to drive their classic cars. In honor of Dallas, there will be a short classic car cruise following the funeral service to be followed by coffee and refreshments at Christ Community Church. Burial will be held with military funeral honors at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15, in the Union Cemetery in Osage City, Kan.

Dallas was born on June 14, 1941, in St. Louis, Mo., to Horace L. and Marie Louise (Salling) Kibbe. He met the love of his life Rebecca Ann Peterson in the sixth grade. They were married on July 20, 1963. She passed away on Oct. 5, 2005 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Dallas was raised on the family farm in Osage City, Kan., where he and his younger brother Jan learned to work the land, tend animals, and drive tractors. They grew up without in-home electricity or running water until their high school years. He attended Kansas State University to study Electrical Engineering in the fall of 1959. In 1961 he voluntarily joined the U.S. Navy and served four years. During his military service he led an intelligence gathering team in multiple overseas venues, escaped being captured, and helped to recommission the U.S.S. Chicago. He returned to college after the service and completed his degree in 1968.

He and his wife Rebecca moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at that time where he would spend the next 33 years working for Collins Avionics (later Rockwell Collins). It was there that he excelled in flight test projects and leading large groups and divisions of the company. He was an accomplished pilot holding Commercial and Instrument ratings. At Collins he flew multiple large 4-engine jet aircraft including one of the two Boeing 707's used to serve the role of Air Force One. He also led many international marketing programs and traveled the world many times over doing so. While there, he also completed the course work for a Master's in Electrical Engineering program at Iowa State University and received a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Iowa.

He and his wife loved music and performed together in the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale for many years. They sang in the Westminster Presbyterian Church choir (where she also served as organist) and made worship music a part of their daily lives.

Dallas's truest passions were his children: Jennifer, Robert and April. His career was busy but always secondary to any dance recital, drumline show, band or choral performance, and all that goes in between. He taught his son how to restore cars at a young age, beginning with his 1964 Chevelle. Nothing was more important to him than his children. A few years after his wife's passing, he re-located to Ames, Iowa, and stayed involved in every grandchild activity, even during his declining health. He willed himself forward for the joy of seeing his family. Though many labels could be applied to his life's accomplishments all he really wanted to be was that of a family man.

He is survived by his son, Robert (Laura) Kibbe of Ames; two daughters, Jennifer (Chad) Kittrell of Cedar Rapids and April (Mark) Brown of Ankeny; five grandchildren, Emily, Dallas, Noelle, Audrey and Rowan-Michael; a sister-in-law, Sharon Kibbe of Topeka, Kan.; brother and sister-in-law, Wallace and Freda Proctor of Kansas City, Kan.; nephews, Nicholas (Stephanie) Proctor, Peter (Jennifer) Proctor, Jon (Bridget) Proctor, Craig (Shelby) Kibbe and Chad Kibbe; and niece, Janelle (Sal) Cruz.

Dallas was preceded in death by his parents, Horace and Marie Louise; his wife, Rebecca; and his brother, Johannes "Jan" Kibbe.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Adams Funeral Home and online condolences may be left for Dallas' family at www.adamssoderstrum.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the American Cancer Society to fund cancer research.