Underbakke, Dale Tjelemen1932 - 2022

UNDERBAKKE, WARD, BERGEY, CRAWFORD, BENJEGERDES, GREEN, MCKENNA, HOLST, THILGES, PONCE, HINKLE, SHERRY, HISEL, LARKIN, HAWKINS, LANGRECK, HILL, SEVER, HELWIG, TJELEMEN, BRINK

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 1/15/2022 at 11:03:21

Dale Underbakke, of Burr Oak, Iowa, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Thursday, January 6, 2022, at Green Lea Manor Senior Living in Mabel, Minnesota.

Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 11, 2022, at Burr Oak United Methodist Church with Pastor Linda Thompson officiating. Burial will be in Burr Oak Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Monday, January 10 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah, and on Tuesday beginning at 12:00 p.m. (Noon), one hour before the service, at Burr Oak United Methodist Church.

Masks are Required to attend the visitation at the funeral home and the funeral service at the church.

Dale Tjelemen Underbakke was born December 30, 1932, to Louie and Violet (Wilbur Ward) Underbakke at his home on the family farm near Burr Oak, Iowa. He was baptized and confirmed at Burr Oak United Methodist Church and graduated from Canton High School as salutatorian of his class in 1951.

Dale was united in marriage to Eleanor Bergey on June 26, 1954, at Henrytown Lutheran Church, rural Canton. This union blessed them with six children, Beth, Eugene, Richard, Steven, Craig, and Rebecca. Dale was a religious person of strong faith and a lifetime member of Burr Oak United Methodist Church. He served on the church board for many years. He was on the North Winneshiek School Board for many years as well.

Dale farmed west of Burr Oak his entire life. Dale and Eleanor built a home and moved into Burr Oak in 2003. Dale enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. Through the years he enjoyed his children, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren. He would make it to as many dance recitals, wrestling meets, tennis matches, football, baseball, and basketball games as he could for all the kids. This included attending basketball games for his great grandchildren in the past month. In his spare time, he enjoyed woodworking, bowling, hunting, golfing, and fishing. Dale could always strike up a conversation with anyone and everyone he met. He was always coming home with a joke to tell, good or bad, and even in church. He would warn you if it was going to be a bad joke.

Dale is survived by Eleanor, his wife of 67 ½ years; his 6 children Beth (Gary) Crawford of Decorah, Eugene (Donna) Underbakke of Cresco, Richard (Joan) Underbakke of Raymore, MO, Steven (Sandra) Underbakke of Burr Oak, Craig (Bobbie Sue) Underbakke of Burr Oak, and Rebecca (Greg) Benjegerdes of Waukon; and his 21 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren: Brad Crawford, Tricia (Christopher) Green and Cade; Lyndee Underbakke, Rachael (Jason McKenna) Underbakke and Jake, Lars Underbakke, Gable & Kirk; Kerri (Kevin) Holst, Cole & Cheyenne, Amanda (Paul) Thilges, Hayden, Logan & Isabelle, Nicole Underbakke, Barrin & Alexis, Briana (Juan Ponce Jr.) Underbakke and Kiara; Brandon (Kim) Underbakke, Ethan, Owen, Ayden, Isaac, Emmett & Olivia, Brooke Underbakke and Lillian; Jessica (Chris) Hinkle, Bella, Rosalee & Gianna, Hannah (Stuart Sherry) Underbakke, Tom Underbakke; Shelby (Jessie) Hisel and Eleanor, Samantha (Sean) Larkin, Jonah, Charlotte & Alaina, Trevor (Sydney Hawkins) Brink; Brent (Betsy) Benjegerdes and Gus, Britany (Kevin) Blume, Grayson, Skylar, Emma & Archer, Brea Benjegerdes and Brynn, and Brooke (Chase) Langreck.

Dale is also survived by his sister Shyrlee (Craig) Hill of Story City, Iowa, sister-in-law Donna Underbakke of Lenora, MN, brother-in-law Frank Sever of Tower, MN; sister-in-law Marlys Helwig of Farmington, MN, brother-in law, Gerald “Bub” (Gloria) Bergey of Harmony, MN; and numerous nieces, nephews, and other close relatives.

Dale and Eleanor hosted two exchange students from Norway, Arne Erik Fønhus and Torunn Strømmen, who became part of the family and helped Dale accomplish his lifelong dream of visiting Norway in 2015. While in Norway, Dale visited with cousins at the Underbakke farm, located the Tjelemen family home in Sand, Norway, and stepped foot on the restored “Brødrene af Sand” sailboat, the same cargo ship his great-grandfather captained.

Dale was preceded in death by his parents Louie and Violet Underbakke, his in-laws, Glen & Gladys Bergey, his brothers Maynard Underbakke and Robert Underbakke, his sisters Opal Underbakke and Roberta Sever, his sister-in-law Marvel Underbakke; his brothers-in-law Merle Bergey and Dale Helwig and sister-in-law Eloise Bergey.

Casket Bearers are Dale’s grandsons, Lars Underbakke, Brandon Underbakke, Brad Crawford, Tom Underbakke, Trevor Brink and Kevin Holst. Honorary Bearers are all of Dale’s grandchildren.

Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database

Burr Oak Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Jeff Getchell.
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