Luella M. Dale

Luella M. Dale, age 88, of Decorah, Iowa, died Tuesday morning, November 8, 2011 at Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah. Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, November 12, 2011 at Congregational United Church of Christ in Decorah with Rev. Keith Selberg officiating. Inurnment will be in Phelps Cemetery in Decorah. Visitation begins on Saturday at 10:00 A.M. at the church, one hour before the service. Fjelstul Funeral Home is serving the family. Luella Maud (Wepler) Dale was born April 27, 1923 in Decorah, IA, the daughter of J. Elmer and Inga Marie (Anderson) Wepler. She graduated from Decorah High School with the Class of 1941 and La James College of Beauty Culture in Mason City, Iowa. She then purchased Gail’s Beauty Shop in Decorah and was secretary of Wepler Incorporated, a market and locker plant. She was united in marriage to Rolf Sigurd Dale Sr. on March 18, 1952 in Preston, Minnesota. This union was blessed with four children: Kristie, Julie, Rolf Jr. and Dianne. Luella returned to the “working world” when her children were all in school, as a sales clerk with I.T.T. Continental Baking Company (the Wonder Bread store) for eighteen years. After her retirement, she liked to travel, was an avid reader and especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren. Luella was a member of the Congregational United Church of Christ in Decorah and was active in Women’s Fellowship and Petra Circle. She was also a fifty-year plus member of the Order of the Eastern Star and a member of V.F.W. Auxiliary. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Rolf S. Dale Sr. on December 24, 1982; a daughter, Kristie on August 25, 1996; three sisters, Gail Ode, Dorothy Anderson and Viola Hertges; and three brothers, Jesse, Walter and Percy Wepler. Luella is survived by three children: Rolf (Cindy Goede) Dale, Jr. of Decorah, Julie Dale of Minnetonka, MN, and Dianne (Dan) Godfrey of Brainerd, MN; five grandchildren: Bill Goede, Russell Dale, Erik Dale, Ben Godfrey and Anna Godfrey; two sisters-in-law, Gladys Wepler of Decorah and Pat Wepler of Waterloo, IA; and many nieces and nephews.