W. Dale BRAYTON

BRAYTON, AMSDEN, GRONBACH, WEBER, JENSEN, BAKER, WENCK, BINGER, KELLEY, HARPER, TRUEX, GARNER, ELLERTSON, KEMBERLING, BLAIR, BERRYHILL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/8/2011 at 15:28:51

July 9, 1927 --- March 10, 2011

SHEFFIELD, IA - W. Dale Brayton, 83, Sheffield, was born on July 9, 1927, and passed away on Thursday (March 10, 2011) at the Mercy Medical Center in Mason City. Dale was the son of Roy and Grace (Amsden) Brayton. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Zion St. John Lutheran Church in Sheffield with the Rev. G. Kim Wills presiding. Interment will be in Hillside Cemetery, Sheffield with veterans honors. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m., today, Monday, at Zion St. John Lutheran Church. Dale's first love was his high school sweetheart, Ruth Ann (Gronbach) Brayton. They were married on September 1, 1946, in LuVerne. Through this love, Dale's greatest and most enduring loves were created in seven children, twenty grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren. They include Jeanne Weber and family, Bobby and Sarah Weber (Cole, Abby, Amanda, and Cory); Joe Weber and Leigh Jensen; Matt and Cindy Weber (Makayla, Hannah, Haden); Kati Weber (Brenden); Dale and Kathy Brayton, and family, Andrew and Laura Brayton, Valerie Brayton and Michael Baker, Alex Brayton; Max and Diane Wenck and family, Nathan and Emily Wenck, Jacob Wenck, and Grace Wenck. Bill and Patty Binger and family, Ty Jae Kelley (Zayne), Brian and Tara Truex (Tessa, Isaac, and Norah), Traci Kelley. Jason and Becky Harper and family, Colten Harper and Jaelynn Harper. Jon Brayton and family, Zach Garner and Olivia Brayton. Jim Brayton, Kris Ellertson and family, Zach Brayton, Megan Brayton, and Maura Brayton.

Dale was born on July 9, 1927, in Hardy. He graduated from LuVerne High School in 1945 and joined the Navy on July 22 of that year. He enlisted in the Navy SeaBees and was stationed on the island of Samara during World War II. He was discharged on June 29, 1946. After leaving the service and marrying Ruth Ann, Dale worked in meat lockers in LuVerne, Fort Dodge, What Cheer, and Nevada before purchasing Sheffield Frozen Foods in 1956. Aside from Dale's wife and family, his other passion was serving his community. He was a member of Zion St. John Lutheran Church in Sheffield for 55 years, serving as part of the church council and later as the council's president. He was a lifetime member of the American Legion. He served on the Sheffield City Council from 1976 to 1978, and was Mayor of Sheffield from 1978 to 1985 and again from 1990 to 1993. He was a 50-year member of both the Sheffield Lions Club and the Sheffield Fire Department. He was also a member of the Sheffield Community Club and a member of the Franklin County Civil Defense as a storm watcher. He was proud to have served on the original board of the Landfill of North Iowa. Dale was a member of the committee that started Little League in Sheffield. Whether it was coaching, umpiring, or watching, one of Dale's hobbies was baseball and the St. Louis Cardinals was his favorite team. He also enjoyed watching college basketball and playing cards.

Dale is survived by his wife Ruth Ann of 64 years; his sister Ione (Melvin) Kemberling; two brothers Wes (Norma) Brayton and Harley Brayton; sister-in-laws Doris Blair, Ellen Berryhill, Bert Gronbach, Georgia Brayton; and brother-in-law Earl Gronbach. Retz Funeral Home.

Mason City Globe Gazette -- Iowa
March 14, 2011