- Date Of Birth: November 9, 1930
- Date Of Death: March 1, 2012
- State: Idaho
Dale Arvene Hancock a fine man who was always ready to tell a story or shoot the breeze as they say, passed away Thursday, March 1, 2012. He was 81 years old. He was a wonderful father, husband, brother, uncle and grandfather. Many a person had a great smile come across their face when Dale’s name was mentioned. He was a very kind and honest man. Always tinkering and in need of a project to keep busy.
Dale was born to Ethelyn Francilda Norby a homemaker and Louis Delbert Hancock a carpenter in Blackfoot, Idaho. He was the seventh child of 8 children and grew up in Eastern Idaho. He told stories of attending a couple different High Schools in the area or as he puts it was kicked out of a couple schools. None the less he graduated from Downey High School in 1949. He was athletic and on the football and basketball teams. One story he told many a time was when he and his older siblings spent hours in the outhouse waiting for his younger brother Boyd to be born. It didn’t seem to be too awful of an experience since he laughed hardily when retelling this tale. One job he had was selling magazines door to door.
Dale joined the Navy on August 19th 1950 at Fort Douglas, Utah. The Korean War had begun on June 25th of that same year. He was on the aircraft carrier the USS Antietam, so named for the American Civil War Battle of Antietam in Maryland. In the Korean conflict the USS Antietam earned two Battle Stars. He was then on the USS Kearsarge CVA 33 named in honor of The Sloop of War Kearsarge a sailing ship of the American Civil War.
He then became a baker, grocery store stockman and I’ve heard stories that he was a golden glove boxer for a bit. He found a trade and in his late 20’s and settled into a life as an electrician. During the remodel of the Holy Rosary Hospital in Ontario, Oregon he met Jennie Irene Wren a nursing assistant in the pediatric ward. They were married on October 8th 1960.
Dale and Jennie’s first daughter, Jodi was born July 9, 1961 in Ontario, Oregon.
Dale enjoyed taking things to be tossed and use them to make something. His grandchildren have a box he fashioned from scraps with a carpet top. One could then sit on it when not using the toys stored inside. Another great storage box held Lincoln Logs, when you flipped open the lid it became a great surface to build your log cabin on. He and Jennie attended the sporting events of Tyler and Erin Segel where he occasionally found himself being the umpire for t-ball. They traveled to Seattle to enjoy musical performances and grandparent time with grandchildren Megan and Russell Ferson. He loved to keep busy and was known to go down to the neighbor’s house and ask if they needed their ditch dug. “I need something to do” he would say.
Upon retirement Dale and Jennie traveled to Corpus Christi, Branson, Missouri, Washington D.C. and San Diego for reunions of the air craft carriers on which he had served. He was reunited with his navy buddies who he kept in touch with throughout the rest of his life. The couple celebrated their 51 years of love and devotion to one another before Dale’s passing.
Dale was a retired member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He and Jennie enjoyed monthly luncheons with his electrician friends.
Our family would like to extend special appreciation to Critell and Linda Sutherland, and the staff of Legacy Home Health and Hospice. We also have a big hug of gratitude for our cousin Darlene Cassidy who did a wonderful job with the help of Linda Sutherland, Karen Buckholz, Rita Gambino and Julie Jackson in the loving care they provided our father and grandfather.
