Dale Anderson

Dale E. Anderson, 90, died Monday, Oct. 24, 2011, at the Care and Comfort Home in Havre of natural causes.

His funeral service will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, at Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel, with Pastor Michael O'Hearn officiating.

Dale Anderson

Anderson Burial with military honors will follow at Highland Cemetery. Memorial contributions in Dale's honor may be made to the Care and Comfort Home, 1204 Cleveland Ave., Havre, MT 59501, or to Bear Paw Hospice, P.O. Box 1231, Havre, MT 59501. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home.

Dale was born May 27, 1921, in Havre, to John W. and Agatha (Diety) Anderson. He was raised and educated in Havre, graduating from Havre High School. Dale enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and was a fighter pilot flying P 40's and P 63 King Cobras in World War II.

He married Thelma Gore on Aug. 17, 1943, in Washington, D.C., where she was working for the FBI. Dale was honorably discharged in 1945. The couple returned to Havre, where Dale worked for an architect firm until he established his own business, Dale Anderson Construction, in which he served as a general contractor. In 1962 he went to work for Northern Montana College in the drafting department and began working on his bachelor's degree, which he obtained from Northern. Dale then went on and attended Montana State University in Bozeman and graduated with his master's degree in 1971. He retired from Northern Montana College as the chairman of the Engineering and Technology Department in 1982.

In his spare time Dale enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping and fly tying. He was a member of the Elks, Kiwanis, Veterans of Foreign War, Shriners, Masons, Jaycees, the American Legion and Phi Delta Kappa. He was a member of the Air Force Association and Reserve Officers Association. Dale enjoyed family and loved attending all of his grandchildren's athletic events. Dale didn't know what retirement was. He continued to work on various projects until his health prevented him from them.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Thelma Anderson, who passed in May 2007; and his brother in-law, Lt. Cornel William E. "Bill" Gore.

Dale is survived by his children, son, Craig (Sandy) Anderson of Havre, and daughter, Thale (Tom) Ludwick of Bainville, Mont .; one sister, Shirley (George) Gerpheide of Kalamazoo, Mich .; a sister-in-law, Evelyn Gore of Levenworth, Kan .; five grandchildren, Jordan (Teri) Anderson of Great Falls, Mont., Jera Anderson of Havre, Emy (Bryan) Allard of Bainville, Mont., Missy (Scott) Randall of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Jody (Joel) Maanum of Cyrus, Minn; and eight great-grandchildren.