Clarence Dale was born on February 14, 1907, to Martin and Anna (Stenson) Dale at their farm in Cerro Gordo Twp, Lac Qui Parle County, MN. He was baptized and confirmed at the Lac Qui Parle Lutheran Church. A short way from their home, he attended elementary school in District 6. In 1926, he graduated from Dawson High School, after which he farmed a few years with his brother and later, on his own.
Clarence was united in marriage to Mildred Anderson on May 27, 1939. To this union a son, Charles, was born.
In 1934, he started working for the USDA doing work such as measuring acres and measuring grain stored in bins. In 1974, he retired after 40 years, serving the last 19 years as the CEO of the ASCS Farm Program Office in Madison.
He served on the Cerro Gordo Town Board, Dawson School Board, church boards, Johnson Memorial Hospital Board, and had been Township Assessor. He loved to read, to travel, and music of any form, as is shown by the organization of a male quartet in 1927, composed of the Torstenson and Dale Brothers. They sang together for many years and at many events, the last of which was at Clarence and Mildred's 25th Wedding Anniversary in 1964.
Clarence entered the Johnson Memorial Home in January, where he remained until his death on Thursday, April 1, 1999, at the Johnson Memorial Hospital in Dawson at the age of 92.
He is survived by his wife, Mildred, and son, Charles, of rural Dawson; 2 sisters: Agnes Sorkness and Helen Dale of rural Dawson; 2 sisters-in-law: Ruth Dale and Bessie Dale of the Johnson Memorial Home in Dawson; 6 nieces and 5 nephews; and other family and friends.
Preceding him in death were his parents; sister, Selina Dale; and 2 brothers: George and Manford Dale.