Dale Frederick Mathis

Dale F. Mathis, 77, of Harpers Ferry, IA, died Sunday, January 1, 2023, at his home in rural Harpers Ferry. Funeral services will be held Friday, January 6th, at 11:00 AM at St. Ann's - St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Harpers Ferry with Fr. Joseph Sevcik officiating. Burial with military honors will be at St. Joseph's Paint Rock Cemetery in rural Harpers Ferry. Friends may greet the family from 9:00 AM until time of services at the church on Friday. Martin – Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.

Dale Frederick Mathis was born April 24, 1945, in rural Lansing, IA, the son of Willis "Buster" and Myrtle (Steiber) Mathis. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Joseph's Paint Rock Catholic Church in rural Harpers Ferry, IA. Dale attended Waterville School, graduated from St. George Catholic School in Lansing in 1963, and served in the National Guard from 1965 to 1971. On September 28, 1968, he married Rita Williams at St. Ann's - St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Harpers Ferry. Dale worked as a correctional officer at Luster Heights Work Camp for eight years and in 1976, he started hobby farming in Fairview Township, raising crops, beef, and hogs. He also owned and operated Mathis Excavating for 25 years before retiring in 2008.

Dale was a member of St. Ann's - St. Joseph's Catholic Church and the Harpers Ferry American Legion. He served on the St. George Catholic School board and served as a Harpers Ferry councilman. He was a past member of the Harpers Ferry Fire Department, a past director of the Harpers Ferry Rescue Squad, and past member of the Rossville Snowmobilers Club. Dale enjoyed boating and camping on the Mississippi River and was an avid squirrel and deer hunter. He loved his family, friends, ATV rides, and NASCAR. In his later years, he enjoyed patrolling Cahallan Road and the Yellow River Forest area on his Kubota.

Survivors include his wife Rita of Harpers Ferry; his children: Lisa (R.D.) Kirby of De Soto, WI, Darin (Hope) Mathis of Edwardsville, IL, Kevin (Tera) Mathis of Monona, Renee (Chris) Hankes of Waukon, and Brad (Ashley) Mathis of Alleman, IA; 12 grandchildren: Andy (Maggie) Kirby, Brandon Kirby, Nicole (Brody) Regan, Kashton, Holden, and Lincoln Mathis, Bralynn, Breegan, and Baizley Mathis, and Drake, Claire, and Brooke Hankes; four great-grandchildren: Sofiya and Fiona Kirby, and Brielle and Norah Regan; three brothers: Jerry Mathis and Bob (Jeanine) Mathis, both of Harpers Ferry, and Galen (Sandy) Mathis of Peosta, IA; and a sister Diane Regan of Waukon. He was preceded in death by his parents; two sons: Craig and Jason Mathis; a sister Colleen and her husband Maurice Hart; and a sister-in-law Karen Mathis.

Honorary urnbearers are Dale's grandchildren.