Dale E. Gill

Hastings resident, Dale E. Gill, 89, died Tuesday, March 24, 2009 at Perkins Pavilion, Good Samaritan Society, Hastings-Village. Services will be Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 10:30 AM at the Brand-Wilson Chapel, Hastings, NE with Jim Pettitt officiating. Burial will be Saturday at 2 PM at Shelby Cemetery, Shelby, NE. Visitation will be Friday, March 27, 2009 from 12 noon to 9 PM at the Brand-Wilson Funeral Home, Hastings, NE and up till service time Saturday in the chapel. Condolences may be sent to the family from www.brandwilson.com. Dale was born, May 7, 1919 to Ed and Edith (Coleman) Gill on a farm near Surprise, NE. He graduated from the Cottonwood country school. He then attended Surprise High School. On July 14, 1939 he enlisted in the army at Ft. McArthur, San Pedro, CA. In July of 1941 he was transferred to Fort Richardson at Anchorage, Alaska where he was stationed until he was sent back to the states for additional training. Alaska was a territory of the United States then. He married Dorla M. Fox on July 13, 1943 in Los Angeles and they had one son Ralph born to this union in 1949. Dorla died January 4, 1968. Dale was re-assigned to the 143rd Anti-Aircraft Gun Battalion after returning from duty in Alaska. In 1944 he was sent to Europe where the 143 rd distinguished themselves in the Battle of the Bugle. He was honorably discharged from the Army, November 1, 1945 after serving nearly 6 years. Dale was a meat cutter and butcher in various Nebraska towns for nearly 10 years. In 1954 he joined the Security Mutual Life Insurance Company of Lincoln as a salesman and general agent. He retired from that company in 1982. Dale married Theresa M. Rotter on July 20, 1968 in Trenton, NE. After retiring they did some traveling and Dale became an avid writer of his lifes experiences. He was a member of the American Legion Post #11 and a life member of the VFW, both in Hastings, NE. He was a former member of the Hastings Association of Life Underwriters of which he served as president in 1969. He also served on the Adams County Senior Services Board for several years. He is survived by his wife Theresa, and son Ralph both of Hastings, a granddaughter of Lincoln, NE and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, first wife Dorla, 3 brothers, Bernard, Gerald and Donald, and 2 sisters Phyllis Fricke and Bonnie Ludden. Memorials may be given to the Salvation Army or the Hastings Museum.