DALE E. GRABENBAUER

Dale Eugene Grabenbauer was born on November 12, 1928 in Marshalltown, Iowa to Frank and Ethel (Goodman) Grabenbauer, the second of four children. At that time, the Great Depression had decimated the American economy and Dale often recalled that it was a good thing that his parents had a garden and a few farm animals so that they never went hungry.

He attended St. Mary's High School in Marshalltown and was a member of the Division 2 "Buzz Boys" basketball team that won the state championship in 1946.

Dale was working for Borden Dairy, delivering milk from door to door, when he met his first wife, Beverly (Trimble). The couple married in 1955 and had six children, Timothy, Judy (Couch), Joseph, Annette (Ehardt), Kara, and Michael. The family moved to Vero Beach, Florida in 1969, where Dale continued to work for Borden Dairy and later transferred to MacArthur Dairy. Dale and Beverly were married for twenty-one years.

He developed a passion for raising rabbits and won "Best of Show" dozens of times with his Dutch and Californian rabbits. He was a member of the American Rabbit Breeders Association for many years. Dale later raised chickens, pigeons and beef cattle at his beloved "J & D Ranch" in Fellsmere, Florida.

Dale was a prolific letter writer and had many Letters to the Editor published in the TC Palm newspaper, on topics from politics, local eyesores, the virtues of chickens, and his favorite basketball star of all time, fellow Iowan Caitlin Clark.

He married Eloise (Ellie) Yelton Hook in 1977 and had a happy thirty-eight-year marriage until her death in 2015. Dale met his third wife Judith (Judy) Maculiewicz Orr at St. Sebastian Church in 2017 at the age of 88 and the couple married in September 2017 right before hurricane Irma hit Florida. Dale was a devoted caregiver to Judy after she developed dementia and until she passed away in May 2023.

Dale had the honor of being the longest attending communicant of St. Sebastian Church, where he attended daily mass for almost five decades. He was an active member of the Knights of Columbus. After church, he could be found at the McDonald's in Sebastian, entertaining an array of friends with his homespun wit and discussing current events.

He spent the last few months of his life enjoying visits from all six of his children, grandchildren, step daughters, nephews, nieces. cousins, and a myriad of friends from all walks of life. He was especially grateful for his devoted church family and friends.

Dale is survived by his children and their spouses Timothy and Diane of Vero Beach, Florida, Judy and Danny (Couch) of Azel, Texas, Joseph and Tracey of Norman, Oklahoma, Annette and Steve (Ehardt) of Norman, Oklahoma, Kara of Wendell, North Carolina, and Mike and Mimi of Norman, Oklahoma, and three stepdaughters, Nancy Wallace of Roanoke, Virginia, Jennifer Kozaczek of Micco, Florida, and Mary Hamilton of Sebastian, Florida. He also leaves behind his sister Janice (Driscoll) of Montana, several grandchildren and great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.