Obituary of Dale William Bastman

Dale William Bastman was born June 5, 1919 in Silver Lake Township, Dickinson County, Iowa, the son of Wilhelm Friedrich Carl and Bertha Dorthy (Dwinger) Bastmann. He was the second of five children, including his brother John George and his sisters Ellen Harriett, Edna Marie and Anna Mae. At the age of five years he moved with his family to Sioux Valley Township, Jackson County, Minnesota where he attended country school while beginning his career in farming with his parents. Dale married the love of his life Luverna Florence Bunning December 18, 1941 at Jackson, Minnesota. Following their marriage they farmed until March 12, 1942 when he entered the USA Army with Company L of the 155th Infantry to defend his country in the South Pacific Theater until his honorable discharge on December 23, 1945. Following Dale's military career the couple made their home on a farm in Silver Lake Township, Dickinson County, Iowa, until purchasing the family farm in Sioux Valley Township, Jackson County, Minnesota in March of 1952. Upon retirement on March 1, 1975, the couple moved to Lake Park and wintered in Arizona for twenty years. Dale moved to Wel-Life Assisted living facility in Spirit Lake, IA on September 1, 2007 where he lived the remainder of his life. Luverna passed away May 4, 2004. Dale enjoyed telling the many stories of his heroic adventures while serving our country fighting the war. Everyone he met would learn of the battles he experienced in World War II. He was a long time member of the First Presbyterian Church in Lake Park and the Sioux Valley American Legion. Dale enjoyed swimming, playing cards, playing pool, dancing, gardening and creating wooden lawn art and attending Dinner Date in Lake Park. Mr. Bastman passed away Saturday, March 7, 2009 at Dougherty Hospice House, Sioux Falls, SD from a Hemorrhagic stroke suffered on January 26. He is survived by sons, Stanley (Marilyn) of Spencer, Iowa, Donald (Trudy) of Scottsdale, Arizona, and Leslie (Mary) of Mesa, Arizona; sister, Anna (Wayne) Eral of Pocahontas, Iowa, six grandchildren, Wade (Jenni), Joshua (Tia), Ryan (Lorraine), Amy, Cole and Lacey; four great grandchildren, Daylain, Jayde, William and Bentley; other family and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, parents, brother John and two sisters Ellen and Edna.