LoAnn Kay (Johns) Dale, 52

LoAnn Dale

LoAnn Kay (Johns) Dale was born April 11, 1968 to Joseph and Rose (Rogge) Johns in Lyon County, Tracy Minnesota. Loie was the youngest of five children in the family. She grew up on the family farm outside of Tracy and attended Tracy High School. At age 15, she moved in with her sister and attended Clara City High School and then graduated from Granite Falls High School.

She was united in marriage to Tim Dale on June 22, 1990 at the Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Marshall, Mn.  They resided on a farm outside of Hanley Falls, Mn.  Their marriage was blessed with four boys, who were her pride and joy.

After graduation, she attended Willmar Technical College for Cosmetology.  She cut hair at New Images in Montevideo, Mn.  She waitressed at the Eatery in Granite Falls. She co-owned and operated the LO JO Lunch Wagon with her sister-in-law Julie Kosen from 1995-98.  They served employees breakfasts and lunches at the Minnesota Corn Processors plant. Her real joy was raising bottle calves on the farm while having her boys by her side helping.

In 2003, while pregnant with her last son, Loie was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. She was wheelchair bound after a couple years and lost all movement and speaking ability over the next seven years. In 2010, she made a choice to go on a ventilator which would allow her to continue to live. Her deep desire to live was to watch her boys grow up.  She fought hard and showed amazing strength through the years with this terrible disease for her boys.  She had in home care with help from several nurses, PCAs, her sons, and her brother Kelly. She had spent the last 5 years in nursing homes in Chippewa Falls, WI; and Sioux Falls, SD.  On January 31, 2021, she was at peace with her life and made a choice to pass away surrounded by her four boys at McKenna Avera Hospital in Sioux Falls. She expressed her excitement to meet her Lord in heaven.

She loved watching her boys grow up riding dirt bikes and three wheelers around the farm.  Her face lit up when she watched them race in South Dakota. She loved gardening and growing flowers in her yards. She was so proud of her sons and all their accomplishments attending all their events. It was extremely hard for her and sad when she was unable to go to their events due to the difficulty of going in the late stages of her disease.

Loie is survived by her four sons, Tyler (Morgan) Dale, Hartford, SD; Trenton Dale, Sacred Heart, MN; Logan Dale, Brandon, SD; and Landon Dale (Abby Jaenisch) Hanley Falls, MN and one grandchild, Dierks Dale, son of Tyler and Morgan; ex-husband Tim Dale, Hanley Falls; three brothers, Gary (Jolynn) Johns of Tracy, MN; Brad (Tricia)Johns of Marshall, MN; Kelly Johns of Yankton, SD; and one sister, Deb Thorpe of Hutchinson, MN; many special nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death were her parents Joseph Johns and Rose Huso; brother-in-law Duane Thorpe.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be a funeral/celebration of life at a later date.

Cards can be sent to Tyler Dale, 502 North Vandemark Avenue, Hartford, SD 57033