Dale Smith, 89, of Adrian, Missouri, passed away on Saturday, July 6, 2024, at Olathe Hospice House in Olathe, Kansas. Funeral services will be held at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Adrian, Missouri on Saturday, July 13, 2024, at 12:00 PM with a visitation at 11:00 AM. Memorial contributions may be made to Kamp Keirsey or Missourians on Missions.
Dale was a native of the Adrian area, primarily growing up in the Burdette Township, between Adrian and Drexel. He was born to Earl R. and Wanna L. (Askew) Smith in Norfolk, Nebraska. Dale was raised primarily by his mother, his Grandpa Askew, and with a heavy influence from his older brother, Loren. Dale graduated from Adrian High School in 1951, and a couple of years later married his hometown sweetheart, Shirley Moles. They soon added their first daughter, Kathy, to the family. Dale was always a hard and dedicated worker and landed a lifelong job with General Motors, originally at the BOP (Buick/Oldsmobile/Pontiac) Assembly plant in Kansas City, KS. Within just a few years, another daughter, Ronda, was born. Dale eventually transferred to the Delco Battery plant in Olathe, and the family soon after moved to Olathe. Dale moved up the ranks at GM, eventually earning a foreman's position. Despite living some distance from Adrian, Dale & Shirley were homing pigeons, regularly traveling back home every chance they had to visit their families. They welcomed their third daughter, Sandra, to their home after a few years in Olathe. They raised their family in the "city" until about 1976 when Dale was finally able to move his family back to Burdette and built his dream home less than a mile from his childhood home. Dale was an avid outdoorsman, enjoying hunting, fishing, and golf, to name a few. He also prided himself on farming his own land, despite the challenges of working mainly by himself. He would work with less than top-of-the-line equipment, but he was determined, and he always managed to get the job done. He also loved bowling, where he was a regular at Adrian Lanes throughout the years. Dale and Shirley spent many happy and rewarding years together serving God in many capacities with the Burdette Baptist Church, as well as the Drexel Baptist Church. Dale was proudly ordained as a deacon of the church. Their service to the Lord included volunteering and traveling together, with trailer in tow, to their many "Missourians on Mission" trips. The twosome rarely missed an Adrian Blackhawks competition when their grandkids played, proudly cheering them on, as grandparents do. Dale's easy laugh and friendly demeanor will be forever missed. His heart is whole again, now that he is reunited in eternity with the love of his life in the presence of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Shirley Smith; his parents, Earl Smith and Wanna Binkley; brother, Loren Smith, and grandson, Luke Wegner. Dale is survived by his children: Kathy Wegner (husband, Dick) of DeSoto, KS, Ronda Walters (husband, Lindsey) of Olathe, KS, and Sandy VanSlyke of Olathe, KS; grandchildren: Leah, Bonnie, Audrey, Matt, Jacob, Sam, Jared, Jeff, Josh, and Jaime; great-grandchildren: Julia, Norah, Rawlin, Lucy, Brylee, Nathaniel, Naomi, Samson, Elijah, Carter, Allee, Jordan, Baker, Paxton, Frank, Wayne, Tatum and Madden.
