Dale Clarence Schwartzhoff

Dale C. Schwartzhoff, 75, of Dorchester, IA, died Tuesday, October 14, 2014, at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, WI. Funeral services will be held Friday, October 17th, at 11:00 AM at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Dorchester, IA, with Fr. Jim Dubert officiating. Burial will be at St. Mary's Dorchester Cemetery. Friends may call from 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM Thursday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon and 1 hour before services at the church on Friday.

Dale Clarence Schwartzhoff was born on September 23, 1939 in Spring Grove, MN, the son of Clarence Theodore and Winifred Florentine (Welscher) Schwartzhoff. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Dorchester. He attended country school, and graduated from Spring Grove High School in 1958. Upon graduation Dale completed basic training and was in the Army Reserves. Dale pursued his passion for farming, starting with his parents. On May 15, 1965, he married Marie Howes at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, IA. A short time after Dale and Marie purchased the family farm. They continued running the dairy herd as well as raising crops and other livestock. Dale spent over 50 years as a DeKalb seed dealer. In 2004 Dale and Marie built a new home and continue to live on the Schwartzhoff Century Farm.

Dale was a member and former Trustee of St. Mary Catholic Church in Dorchester and was also formerly active in NFO. Dale loved to socialize with family and friends. He was a pillar of his community. The center of Dale's life was his faith, family, friends and farming. His dry wit and optimistic view on life will be dearly missed. It was an honor to know him and to love him.

Survivors include his wife Marie of Dorchester; 5 children and 10 grandchildren: son Jeff (Lisa) of Dorchester, and their children Emily (Matt) Burrichter, Erika (Jacob Halverson) Schwartzhoff, Matt (Tayler Kurk) Schwartzhoff, and Jackson Wilson, son Nick (Lynn) of Eitzen, MN, and their children Megan and Abby, son Craig of Eitzen, MN, son Brad (Kelly) of Dorchester, and their children Jake and Molly, and daughter Diane (Craig) Thier of Peosta, IA, and their children Ella and Elliott; a great-grandson Dustin Burrichter; and 7 siblings: Marie (Donald) Ellestad of Caledonia, MN, Gerald (Darlene) Schwartzhoff of Dorchester, IA, Earl (Patricia) Schwartzhoff of Rochester, MN, Alice Brown of Burnsville, MN, Gary (Nancy) Schwartzhoff of Eau Claire, WI, Helen (Robert Boyd) Schwartzhoff of Burnsville, MN, and Joe (Kathy) Schwartzhoff of Decorah, IA. Dale was preceded in death by his parents.

Honorary casketbearers are Dale's grandchildren. Casketbearers are Greg, Mike, and Matt Schwartzhoff, Kirk Simmons, Matt Burrichter, and Jacob Halverson.