Mueller, Dale Clair

Dale Clair Mueller, 82, died Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012, in his Monticello area farm home with family by his side following a brief illness. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, at Wayne Zion Lutheran Church, rural Monticello, with interment in Wayne Zion Cemetery, with military honors. Pastor Ellery Dykeman will officiate at the services. Friends may call from 4 until 7 p.m. Wednesday at Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello.

Dale is survived by his wife; son, Marlon (Nancy), West Des Moines; daughter, Mareda Pierce, Monticello; three grandsons, Jacob and Andrew Mueller and Joshua Pierce; and two sisters, Dolores (Richard) Johnson, Calamus, and Beverly (Melvin) Ilg, DeWitt.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a grandson, David Michael Mueller.

Dale was born April 4, 1930, near Calamus, Iowa, the son of the late Clarence and Edith (Smith) Mueller. He attended Calamus School and began farming at age 16 with his uncle Alvin Smith near Grand Mound. Then in 1963, he moved to Monticello to a family farm in Wayne Township, Jones County. Dale married Maldean Dirks on June 23, 1956, at Wayne Zion Lutheran Church, rural Monticello.

He was a veteran of the Korean War, VFW member, honorary FFA member, served as treasurer of Jones County Extension Council, was a 4-H leader, member of the MVMPA Ag board and chairman of Jones County ASCS. Dale was a member of Wayne Zion Lutheran Church, where he served as youth leader, council member, president and for the last many years he managed the cemetery.

A memorial fund has been established.

Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at www.goettschonline.com.

Published Aug. 13, 2012 in The Gazette