Dale D. Decker

Dale D. Decker passed away on Saturday, February 18, 2012, at Friendship Haven in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 23, 2012 at the First Presbyterian Church in Fort Dodge, 1111 5th Avenue North, with Pastors Anita Johnson and Austin Hill officiating. Burial will be in North Lawn Cemetery, Fort Dodge with full military honors conducted by the VFW Post #1856 and the United States Marine Corps. A celebration of life will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Decker Truck Line, Inc., 4000 Fifth Avenue South in Fort Dodge on Wednesday, February 22, 2012, where his body will lie in repose for a public visitation. The Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Services are in charge of arrangements. Survivors include his wife, Donna and son Don Decker and wife Dianne of Fort Dodge, Iowa. Five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren: Dale T. L. Decker of West Des Moines, Iowa; Ashley G. Decker of Los Angeles, California; Mark Decker, wife Jill and their children Hans, Stefan, Maren and Kersten Decker of Burnsville, MN; Craig Decker, wife Nancy and their children Hannah, Morgan and Jacob Decker of Des Moines, Iowa; and Julie Gibson, husband Nat...[more]

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nd their children Emma, Calvin and Eva Gibson of Fort Dodge, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his parents John & Lillian (Newsum) Decker, brothers Loren and Clayton Decker, sister Ruth Peterson and son Duane Decker. Dale was born on April 10, 1923 in Fort Dodge, Iowa. He graduated from Fort Dodge Senior High. He married Donnabelle Simonson on May 24, 1941 in Grant City, Missouri. Dale served as a Private First Class in the U.S. Marine Corps from June of 1943 to December of 1945. In 1945, after earning two Purple Hearts in the Marine Corps, Dale Decker rejoined his brother Loren in the Decker Truck Line, Inc. family business where he participated in all phases of the company's activities. In 1993 Dale retired as owner of Decker Truck Line, Inc. when their son, Don, acquired sole ownership of the company. Dale continued to spend time at the truck line enjoying his different hobbies and assembling his many collections of stamps, coins, phonographs and glassware to name a few. He was also a regular at auction sales around the area. Dale and Donna would have celebrated their 71st anniversary in May of this year. Dale was active in the V.F.W. Post 1856, American Legion, Marine Corps League and was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. The Deckers will be remembered as ardent supporters of Iowa Central Community College, providing scholarships to students, supporters of the Triton Club and Fort Dodge Amateur Sports. They were instrumental in starting the Iowa Central Community College truck driving courses. The Decker family would like to extend a special thank you to Friendship Haven and Trinity Hospice for the wonderful care they gave to Dale over the past few months. In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to the Marine Corps League or Trinity Hospice.