Dale John Wicke
April 10, 1928 — September 10, 2020
Dale John Wicke, 92, of Cedar Rapids, formerly of Marion, passed away Thursday, September 10, 2020, at Hiawatha Care Center, Hiawatha. In order to keep family and friends safe during this time, a private burial service at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Fairfax, Iowa, will be held in mid-October.
Dale was born on April 10, 1928, on a farm located between Fairfax and Walford, Iowa, the second son of Leo and Dorothy (Walter) Wicke. Dale, his father, and four siblings left the farm after his mother’s death in 1937, moving to Cedar Rapids, where his father remarried Vlasta (Kolarik) in 1940. Dale graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1946. A talented butcher in a long line of meat cutters, Dale began his career at age 13, when his family started one of Cedar Rapid’s first self serve meat counters at People’s Food Mart. Over the years he worked for Me Too and Sunmart Grocery Stores and eventually retired as part owner from Nelson’s Meat Market, located on Mount Vernon Road. After his retirement he continued to work part time as a house painter and with Carfrae Meat Company.
On September 3rd, 1951, he married the love of his life, Marilyn Bristol. They raised their four children in Marion, Iowa, and led active lives in their community. He and Marilyn were members of St. Joseph Catholic Church until moving to Cedar Rapids, where they joined St. Pius X, and both volunteered at the Marion Food Bank. The two of them enjoyed numerous trips to Hawaii, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Rome and Portugal. They enjoyed listening to live music through Marion and Cedar Rapids Community Concerts and dancing at the Armar Ballroom, Danceland, and The Apartment Lounge. However, Dale’s favorite days were spent at his family’s cabin located outside of Troy Mills. He loved being outdoors, fishing in his boat or off the dock, tending the gardens, mowing, spending peaceful nights on the screened in porch with Marilyn, or being surrounded with family and friends around a big bonfire. Dale was tremendously handy and even after retiring, he always had a project to work on. He helped every one of his children with painting, rebuilding, or adding on to their homes. He, like Grandma, had a hard time saying “no” to any of his grandkids, whom they dearly treasured. Most importantly, Dale was a modest and unassuming man who showed love and quiet leadership through his acts of service and the way he treated others with genuine kindness. He and Marilyn were role models in their devotion to one another and it gives us comfort to know they are in Heaven, together again.
Dale is survived by his daughter, Mary Ellen (John) Thompson of Janesville, Wisconsin; sons, David (Diane) Wicke of Denver, Colorado, John (Eileen) Wicke of Stockton, California and Tom (Ann) Wicke of Cedar Rapids; his “fifth kid”, Steve (Dawn) Morrow of Solon; sister Doris (Jim) Jacobs and brother Bob (Peggy) Wicke; twelve grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marilyn; his parents; stepmother; brother, Dwight Wicke; and sister, Elaine Evans.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Mary Anne Nelson and the special staff at Hiawatha Care Center for the care you provided for Papa during this unprecedented time. Your love served as an extension of our family when we could not physically be together. We will never forget your compassionate hearts.
Dale was born on April 10, 1928, on a farm located between Fairfax and Walford, Iowa, the second son of Leo and Dorothy (Walter) Wicke. Dale, his father, and four siblings left the farm after his mother’s death in 1937, moving to Cedar Rapids, where his father remarried Vlasta (Kolarik) in 1940. Dale graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1946. A talented butcher in a long line of meat cutters, Dale began his career at age 13, when his family started one of Cedar Rapid’s first self serve meat counters at People’s Food Mart. Over the years he worked for Me Too and Sunmart Grocery Stores and eventually retired as part owner from Nelson’s Meat Market, located on Mount Vernon Road. After his retirement he continued to work part time as a house painter and with Carfrae Meat Company.
On September 3rd, 1951, he married the love of his life, Marilyn Bristol. They raised their four children in Marion, Iowa, and led active lives in their community. He and Marilyn were members of St. Joseph Catholic Church until moving to Cedar Rapids, where they joined St. Pius X, and both volunteered at the Marion Food Bank. The two of them enjoyed numerous trips to Hawaii, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Rome and Portugal. They enjoyed listening to live music through Marion and Cedar Rapids Community Concerts and dancing at the Armar Ballroom, Danceland, and The Apartment Lounge. However, Dale’s favorite days were spent at his family’s cabin located outside of Troy Mills. He loved being outdoors, fishing in his boat or off the dock, tending the gardens, mowing, spending peaceful nights on the screened in porch with Marilyn, or being surrounded with family and friends around a big bonfire. Dale was tremendously handy and even after retiring, he always had a project to work on. He helped every one of his children with painting, rebuilding, or adding on to their homes. He, like Grandma, had a hard time saying “no” to any of his grandkids, whom they dearly treasured. Most importantly, Dale was a modest and unassuming man who showed love and quiet leadership through his acts of service and the way he treated others with genuine kindness. He and Marilyn were role models in their devotion to one another and it gives us comfort to know they are in Heaven, together again.
Dale is survived by his daughter, Mary Ellen (John) Thompson of Janesville, Wisconsin; sons, David (Diane) Wicke of Denver, Colorado, John (Eileen) Wicke of Stockton, California and Tom (Ann) Wicke of Cedar Rapids; his “fifth kid”, Steve (Dawn) Morrow of Solon; sister Doris (Jim) Jacobs and brother Bob (Peggy) Wicke; twelve grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marilyn; his parents; stepmother; brother, Dwight Wicke; and sister, Elaine Evans.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Mary Anne Nelson and the special staff at Hiawatha Care Center for the care you provided for Papa during this unprecedented time. Your love served as an extension of our family when we could not physically be together. We will never forget your compassionate hearts.
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