DALE STRIKER obituary

FARIBAULT, Minn. - Dale Striker, age 89, of Faribault, Minn., died Saturday, Feb. 18, 2006, at his home.

A funeral service will be held Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at the Celebration of Life Assembly in Faribault with the Rev. Craig Breimhorst, pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Faribault, officiating. Interment will be held at the Meadow Ridge Memorial Park in Faribault. Visitation will be held at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home in Faribault on Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. and Wednesday at the church for one hour prior to the service.

Dale Ernest Striker was born to Charles E. and Lily (Buffenbarger) Striker on Feb. 12, 1917, in Bucyrus, N.D. He attended Bucyrus High School and graduated with the class of 1935. Following high school, Dale attended Augsburg College and graduated in 1940. He entered the Augsburg Seminary and graduated in 1944 with a degree in theology.

On June 7, 1944, he married Amelia Engelstad in LaMoure, N.D. She preceded him in death on Dec. 28, 2002. Dale served as a minister in the American Lutheran Church, now Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, from 1944 to 1982, in several communities, including Big Sandy, Albion, Neb., Maskell, Neb., Plaza, N.D., Landa, N.D., Midland, S.D. and Churches Ferry, N.D. He retired to Faribault in 1982. Dale was a caregiver for his wife for 25 years until her death. He enjoyed gardening and was a member of the Retired Ministerial Association.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; and brothers, Kenneth, Marion and Lynn Striker.

Survivors include his children, Gene (Lynn) Striker of Augusta, Ga., Ruth (Zim) Olson of Denver, Colo., Eva (Russ) Isum of Gillette, Wyo., Connie (David) Wright of Sacramento, Calif., Faith (Jim) Malek of Faribault, Minn., Paul Striker of Cheyenne, Wyo., Luther (Tracy) Striker of Moorhead, Minn., David (Debe) Striker of Carlinville, Ill., Jim (Esther) Striker of Austin, Minn., and Mark (Sondra) Striker of England; 19 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; sisters, Chloe Eckes and Edith (Clark) Freeburg, both of Butte, and Doris Wangsvick of Key West, Fla.; and other relatives and friends.

The family prefers that memorials be directed to the Faribault Area Hospice.