Dale Watley

1933 - 2017

Dale Watley

L. Dale Watley, 83, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, died on February 14, 2017 at Dow-Rummel Village from complications related to advanced dementia.

Dale was born in 1933 in Marmaduke, Arkansas, to the late Doctor Franklin and Dorothy Ash Dover Watley. He attended Northeastern State College (1952-53), served in the U.S. Army (1953-55), and studied aeronautical engineering at the University of Tulsa while working at Douglas Aircraft (1955-56). Dale graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in electrical engineering in 1959.

Dale married Dolores Ann Kern at her parents' home in Locust Grove, OK, on March 29, 1956.

As a 12-year-old dustbowl transplant in California, Dale purchased farm-fresh produce and sold it door-to-door from his bicycle. His entrepreneurial spirit and energy has shown through in his many business ventures since. After six years as an engineer and engineering manager at Dale Electronics in Columbus, NE, he and his brother Orlin founded Ag-Tronic, Inc. in Hastings, NE, in 1965 and later acquired a bankrupt electric generator company in Kearney, NE. Ag-Tronic grew into the leading manufacturer of Slow Moving Vehicle emblems (SMV) and portable electric generators before it was sold to the Coleman Company in 1986.

During that time, Dale was instrumental in passing legislation requiring SMVs, and the company earned the President's "E" award for excellence in exporting. He served the Nebraska District Export Council, the First National Bank of Hastings Board, the Nebraska Baptist State Camping Board, and as President of the Hastings Economic Development Council. Dale was a Nebraska Diplomat, participating in several trade missions, and was named Nebraska Small Business Advocate of the Year in 1991.

In 1991 Dale purchased Modern Muzzleloading and used his resourcefulness and energy to take a company from the brink of bankruptcy to an expanding and profitable market leader, and was named a Turnaround Entrepreneur of the Year in 1996. After retiring in 1998 Dale continued to support entrepreneurs by establishing small business incubator funds in Hastings, NE, and Sioux Falls, SD.

Dale accepted Jesus Christ as his savior at the age of 19, and joined the Nogles Avenue Baptist Church in Tulsa, OK. He and Dolores continued as active members of Baptist churches in Owasso (OK), Stillwater (OK), Woodward (OK), Columbus (NE), Hastings (NE), Centerville (IA), and Sioux Falls (SD). Dale served in a variety of leadership positions including Moderator, Trustee, Deacon, Sunday School Superintendent, and Pastor Search Committee Chair.

Dale's gardens were unusually large, carefully tended, and legendarily fruitful. The intentionally excessive harvest was cultivated with the goal of sharing.

Dale and Dolores enjoyed traveling, especially via motor homes over the past 40 years. They visited all 50 states and most Canadian provinces, as well as a number of countries in Central and South American and Europe.

Dale is survived by his wife of nearly 61 years, Dolores (Sioux Falls, SD), son Gordon and his wife Bobbi (Surprise, AZ), son Loy and his wife Kitt (Ashland, NE), son Bruce and his wife Debbie (Sioux Falls, SD), brother Jerry Watley (Cassville, MO), sisters Joyce (Oren) Eubanks (Grove, OK), Melva (Ron) Tremaine (Neosha, MO), Vel (David) Wiltfong (Bernice, OK), sister-in-laws Anne-Marie Watley (Phoenix, AZ) and Barbara Watley (Wall, NJ), twelve grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren, and many other cousins, nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Norman and Orlin, and one sister, Shirley Gault.

Funeral services and burial will be in Locust Grove, OK. Details at StephensMemorialChapel.com. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in his name at the Locust Grove Freewill Baptist Church.

We would like to thank all of the staff of the memory care unit at Dow Rummel, AseraCare Hospice, and Yvonne Mossberg at Prairie Healthcare Advocacy for their help and support.