Dale VonBergen

On December 7, 2024, Dale VonBergen passed to his rest in Leavenworth, Washington after a courageous battle with Parkinson's. The love and care his Mountain Meadows care team showed made his final days good ones.

Dale graduated from Portland Union Academy in 1958. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Religion from Walla Walla College in 1964, and later undergraduate degrees in Journalism and Education. Dale married Nancy Ruuska in August. Dale taught for 41 years, the majority of them with Nancy. He also earned a Master's Degree in Journalism from University of Oregon in 1974.



Dale was a Seventh-Day Adventist middle and high school educator in Washington (Cashmere, Oroville, Wenatchee, Brewster and Old Town), Alaska (Dillingham), Oregon (Pleasant Hill and Tangent). He was especially gifted in cultivating his students' writing talents. Although quiet he listened well, had a good sense of humor and an inner hope for others to know a loving God. His inspiration of friends and former students continued after retirement.

For 16 summers, Dale built trails and bridges in Washington State for the US Forest Service as a contractor with his sons and friends.

His many interests included music (he had a wonderful baritone voice that blessed his own wedding, many worship services, and classrooms) , videography, photography, paragliding, sailing, running, horseback riding, writing sermons and essays, reading, backpacking, skiing, Rock Steady boxing classes, international travel and mission trips, volunteering as juvenile center chaplain and teaching ESL classes. Dale loved paragliding off his own hill and riding horses with Nancy. The memorial service will be March 21, 2025 at noon at the Cashmere SDA Church. His family looks forward to seeing him reunited with Nancy in heaven, as he promised he would wait for her even though he rises first (1 Thess. 4:16).

Dale is survived by his wife, Nancy; twin sister Dorothy Anderson, and brothers Harold VonBergen and Kent Adamson; His sons, Scott and Todd, daughters-in-law, Sheila VonBergen, and Tammy Cook; Grandchildren, Monte and wife Megan, Cody, Leili and Makena; great grand-daughter, Charli; nieces and nephews Heidi Barrett, Eric VonBergen, Laurie Wolosek, Larry Wiss, and Geoff Wiss.