Donna Catherine Dale

1916 - 2006

Donna Catherine Dale Sept. 28, 1916 - Nov. 5, 2006 Donna was born in Byron, Wyoming, the eldest of four daughters of Frank and Isabel Jones, where she was raised in a small farming community. Donna and her sisters learned early to work hard on the farm milking cows and tromping hay. Donna left Byron and attended Brigham Young University for two years before leaving the university to work in Basin, WY, to help support her sister who was attending nursing school. In Basin, Donna worked in county offices and ran for county clerk. A friend persuaded her to move to Los Angeles and work, where she later met a handsome sailor, Jack Dale, from Taft, whom she married and followed to Taft where they ran the family grocery store. While in Taft their two daughters, Cathy and Becky, were born. In 1970 they bought a grocery store in Tehachapi, where they loved living and working. Donna loved her daughters, granddaughters and great-grandsons. She was very close to her three sisters and the four of them often traveled together. Their biggest adventure was a trip to Spain. Donna enjoyed reading and was very knowledgeable in many subjects. She also loved music and was quite proficient at playing the organ. She took lessons for many years and when her daughters were young she would put them to sleep every night by practicing the organ. She played the organ for many years for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and for many weddings and funerals. She was always willing to share her gift of music with others. We will deeply miss Donna's gentle spirit. She was a kind and giving person whom everyone loved. Donna is survived by her husband of sixty years, Jack Dale; her daughters, Cathy Moats, of Tehachapi, and Rebecca Chealander, of Dallas, TX. She had six granddaughters; Molly Gubler, of Tehachapi; Megan Rogers, Buffy Clark and Shelby Moats, of Salt Lake City, Utah; Ann Lapinsky, of Brentwood, CA; and Lael Chealander, of Syracuse, N.Y. She is survived by five great-grandsons, Colton and Dixon Clark, Jack and Max Gubler and Henry Rogers; and one sister, Enid Basset, of Parowan, Utah. The family would like to express sincere appreciation to Donna's caregivers at the Gables, in Bakersfield, and the long-term care staff at Tehachapi Hospital. Services will be held Thursday, November 9th, at 10:00 a.m., at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 600 Anita Drive, in Tehachapi. She will be interred at the West Side Cemetery, in Taft, at 2:00 p.m. Anyone wishing to visit with family in Taft may go to the Wilson's home at 215 Pierce St., after the service.