Obituary of Dale Burkholder
Obituary Milo Dale Burkholder, Jr. (Dale) was born on November 18, 1946, in Holmes County, Ohio to Milo and Edna (Hershberger) Burkholder. On the morning of February 15, 2025, that sweet chariot that he loved to sing about came and carried him home, and he finally got his new hip with no pain.
Dale grew up and spent his youth in various parts of Ohio. At the age of 18 years, he married Mary Lou (Gingerich) on October 2, 1965, in Plain City, Ohio. Four years after they were married, they moved to Grandin, Missouri where he was one of the founding members of the Grandin Mennonite Church.
Dale was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Lou, and his son, Lyndall. He is survived by 3 sons, Anthony (Lynette) Burkholder of Carthage, New York, Jonathan Burkholder of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Leland (Twila) Burkholder of Farmington, New Mexico, and his daughter, Amy (Jason) Schunk of Augusta, Wisconsin, as well as 20 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.
Friends may visit at the Grandin Mennonite Church on Wednesday, February 19 from 2-4 PM and 6-8 PM. The funeral will be held at the same location on February 20 at 10 AM.
Dad was in excellent health for his age until the fall of 2024 when he began to have hip pain which gradually worsened until he was unable to get around. His family spent an enjoyable Christmas with him at home and discussed his declining mobility and options for treatment. He decided that he was ready for x-rays which showed that he needed a hip replacement and was scheduled to meet with the surgeon on February 20th. However, he developed severe digestive issues on February 1st and his daughter, Amy, came to stay with him during this illness. It became obvious that he was declining, and on February 6th, he agreed to go to the hospital by ambulance. Tests showed inflammation, and he was treated with fluids and antibiotics. He showed improvement and was able to return home that day. He continued to improve over the next week and felt able to manage at home by himself. Amy went home on February 13th, and his nephew Joe continued to check in on him. When he did not answer his phone on February 15, Joe stopped to check in and found him lying peacefully on his bed with no sign of pain or struggle. The family are so thankful to God that his passing was peaceful.