Dale R Strandmo

Mankato Mortuary
507-388-2202

Dale Richard Strandmo, age 74 of Mankato, died on Saturday, August 27, 2011 at Mayo Clinic Health System - Mankato.

Funeral Service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, September 3, 2011, at Hosanna Lutheran Church (105 Hosanna Drive, Mankato) with Rev. Dan Weise officiating. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Friday, September 2, 2011, at Mankato Mortuary (1001 N. Riverfront Drive, Mankato), and will continue one hour prior to the service at church. Burial will be in Glenwood Cemetery, Mankato. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.

Dale was born on December 31, 1936 in Brooten, Minnesota, to Samuel E. O. and Louise J. (Hanson) Strandemo. He moved to Mankato with his family as a boy where he spent the rest of his life. Dale graduated from Mankato High School in 1955 and married Carole Schmidt, his high school sweetheart, in 1958. He was honorably discharged from the Minnesota Army National Guard in 1964, where he specialized in communications - skills that served him well in his 40 years at Mankato Citizens Telephone Company as Installation Supervisor.

Dale was a family man and often spoke of the love he had for his mother, brother and sisters - a love of family that he carried with him as he raised his own family. He loved to pheasant hunt and spent many years hunting with his sons, grandsons, nephews and friends. His granddaughters from San Antonio held a special place in his heart. He enjoyed driving his camping rig to San Antonio in the winter to spend more time with them. When Dale was not hunting, he enjoyed bowling, square dancing, camping and playing cards, motorcycling, and snowmobiling. He particularly enjoyed playing softball on the Hosanna mens team and in later years managing the team. Hosanna held a special place in his heart where he and his family joined as charter members, and Dale served as janitor and congregational president, and every position in between. When Dale was not enjoying his hobbies or being a part of Hosanna, he was fixing something. Dale loved to repair everything as his boys grew up and his neighbors knew it bringing him anything they needed help with from telephones and stereos to small engines and automobiles. He enjoyed every minute of it.

Dale was a friend to everyone he met and he was blessed by those friendships throughout his life. Dale greatly valued his friendships and many will miss him.
Dale is survived by his wife, Carole; children: Dana (Theresa) and Mark (Alisa) Strandmo; grandchildren, Samuel, Mathew, Jacob, Joseph, Marissa and Jenna Strandmo; sisters, Bernice Hendrickson, Jean Pettis and Carolyn Frisbie; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Woodrow Strandemo; and sisters, Doris White, Audrey Thorson, Lorraine LaCoe and Izola O Gara.