Dale Joseph Staudacher, 65, died Monday, July 5, 2004, at the Chester rest home.
A prayer service will be at 7:30 p.m. today at the Rockman Funeral Chapel in Chester. A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Messiah Lutheran Church in Havre, followed by burial at Highland Cemetery.
Dale was born in Chester on May 17, 1939, to Thomas Staudacher Jr. and Aina C. Johansson. He grew up in the Chester community and received his early education there, graduating from Chester High School in 1957.
Dale attended Eastern Washington University at Cheney, majoring in liberal arts. In 1959 he moved to Boise, Idaho, where he worked various jobs during his two-year stay there. In 1961 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and eventually served on the U.S.S. John S. McCann in the Pacific and was stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He was honorably discharged in 1965. He transferred to the naval reserves until 1967 when his military obligation was fulfilled.
Following his discharge, Dale continued his education at Waldorf College in Iowa. While there, he met his first wife, Karen Sorum, and they were married in 1966. Dale transferred to the University of Montana at Missoula, where he earned a business administration degree in 1969.
The Staudachers moved to Great Falls, where Dale worked as a salesman and department manager for Montgomery Ward. In 1972 they moved to Shelby, where Dale accepted a position as an independent insurance agent for A.A.L. Six years later, they transferred to Havre, where he started his own agency, Dale Staudacher Farmer's Insurance. The Staudachers divorced in 1984.
Dale met his second wife, Carol Lammerding, in 1987. They made their home in Havre for the past 17 years.
Dale was diagnosed with brain cancer in October 2003. He received surgery and other treatments, but his condition deteriorated about two months ago. On June 1, he moved to the Liberty County Nursing Home in Chester for extended care.
Dale was baptized and confirmed at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Chester. While in Havre, he was a member of Messiah Lutheran Church and served on the board of the Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd for many years. Other Havre memberships include the Lion's Club, where he served as past president, the Elks Club and the VFW Post.
Dale was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, James; a sister, Marilyn; and father-in-law, Lloyd Hellebust.
Survivors include his wife, Carol Staudacher of Havre; daughters, Renee (Bill) Burgess of Edina, Minn., and Paula (James) Lacey of San Leandro, Calif.; stepchildren, Jamey Lammerding of Havre, Shane (Brenda) Lammerding of Saco and Jeff (Susan) Lammerding of Arlee; six grandchildren; brother, Tom (Norma) Staudacher of Everett, Wash.; sister, Lois (Bob) Bonnes of Salem, Ore.; and numerous nephews and nieces.
Memorials may be made to the Messiah Lutheran Church Gift of Life in Great Falls, or the Liberty County Nursing H
