Dale Elizabeth Mershon

Dale Mershon, 62, Crosby, ND, passed away Thursday, November 6, 2025, in her home.
Dale Elizabeth Ortner was born June 15, 1963, the daughter of David and Shirley (Buckner) Ortner, in Alabama. With her dad in the military, she was raised and educated on many different military bases around the country.
Dale was blessed with her first child, April Caraway, in July of 1984, her second child, Crystal Caraway, in November of 1986, her third child, Robert Caraway, in December 1987, and her fourth child, Samantha Caraway, in January 1989.
Dale married the love of her life, Paul Mershon, in March 1993. They were blessed with her fifth child, Paul Mershon III, in August 1992 and her sixth child, Eric Mershon, in September 1996. They made their home in north palm Springs California from 1990-2001. In 2001, the family moved to Las Vegas to follow Dale's dream of working with animals. She became a dog groomer. Dale always had a love for dogs and would regularly bring home stray dogs from school when growing up and try to keep them.
In 2023, she began to show signs of dementia, so Paul and she moved to North Dakota to be around the kids and grandkids.
Dale loved children very much and many kids around the neighborhood would call her, "Mama" and she would claim many of them as her own kids. Dale was very kind and had a lot of love for her kids and grandkids, and other people's children. She would volunteer in her free time as a Girl Scout leader and Boy Scout leader. She had many troops and watched many kids age out of the program. She thought it was a great reward to watch them become responsible adults.
Her loving family includes: husband of 32 years, Paul Mershon; children, April (JR) Parajon, Crystal Caraway, Robert (Fayleen) Caraway, Samantha (Eric) Werth, Paul Mershon III, Eric (Summer) Mershon; grandchildren, Jaylynn Werth, Jeremy Werth, Ivy Werth, Tory Caraway, Benjamin Caraway, Castiel Mershon, Aaron Parajon, Brian Parajon; mother, Shirley Ortner;
brother, Dane Ortner; sister, Darla Ortner; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her dad, David Ortner; mother-in-law, Jackie Mershon.
Celebration of life will be held at a later date.