Dale Kennedy died peacefully on October 30, 2010, with his wife of 60 years, Barbara (Phillips) by his side. Raymond Dale Kennedy was born at his parents' home, Raymond and Alice (Norling) Kennedy, on April 8, 1925. As a child, Dale attended Brooklyn Church, Brooklyn #42 School, and graduated from Beresford High School in 1943 where he played football and basketball, and was homecoming king. He worked at an aircraft parts plant in California during WWII, served in the U. S. Army stationed in Germany during post-war times, then attended SDSU long enough to realize he wanted to return to the farm. As a young man, Dale played baseball and was invited to try out for the Brooklyn Dodgers; unfortunately, harvest on the farm interfered.

Dale met Barbara in front of the Corner Drug Store in 1947, and they married on September 14, 1950. They had four children who were raised on the farm across from Brooklyn School. It has always been important to Dale to preserve the one-room-school and he organized reunions at Brooklyn after its closure. For many years, Dale was active in Lions Club International, taught Sunday school arranging for teens to visit various religious services, was chairman of Emmanuel Lutheran Church, and was an active member of the Brooklyn Township Board.

Dale was instrumental in bringing rural water to Lincoln County and served as Chairman of the local and state rural water associations as well as serving on the National Rural Water Board. He was currently a member of the Board of Water and Natural Resources. Dale was always a bit of a "politician" and some pals actually called him governor." This will be the first election in many years that will miss his vote.

Dale farmed for most of his adult life until Barbara and he moved into town in 2007. They were truly a great "match," caring for each other's needs and playing an on-going game of gin rummy that dates back at least ten years! Throughout the years the two traveled to Scandanavia, Europe, and Alaska. Dale's favorite trips were road trips to visit family and friends, often driving to Arizona and Florida to catch spring training or spend holidays with family. His grandchildren loved spending time with Grandpa Dale, or "Grumpy" as they teased him. He gave them rides in every tractor and the bucket of the loader, gave them "driving lessons," played Uno with as many as could squeeze around a table, and often gave them nicknames like Claude and Hazel. Dale had a great sense of fun and made friends, young and old, wherever he went.

Those who preceded him in death include his mother, Alice; father, Raymond Albert; brother, Glen; and infant sister, Alice Joyce.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara; son Raymond Craig (Karen); daughters Julie (P.J.) Skrzypek, Lynn (Ken) Twedt, Sara Dale; and grandchildren Michael, Adam, and Ariel Kennedy; Jessica and Jeffrey Skrzypek; and Elyssa and Kelsey Twedt; brothers, Bill (Helen) and Jim; cousins Dennis Norling and Gladys Twedt, Grace Kennedy, and many nieces, nephews, and friends (many of whom seem like they should be "relatives").

As Barbara a.k.a. "Bob" would say, "He's a keeper!"

Funeral services will be 10AM Thursday, November 4, 2010 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Beresford, SD. Visitation will be at the church Wednesday from 4-8PM with the family present from 6-8PM and a prayer service with sharing stories about Dale at 7PM.