Dale E. Lewis, age 78 of Brooten, died Sunday, August 30, 2026 at the St. Cloud VA Community Living Center. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, September 4th at Sunburg Free Lutheran Church with Rev. Ronald Knutson officiating. Visitation will be Thursday, September 3rd from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Brooten and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. Interment with military honors will be at South Lake Johanna Lutheran Cemetery. Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Brooten.

Dale Ellis Lewis was born on September 10, 1947, in Glenwood, Minnesota. He was the second of six children born to Ellis and Doris (Nelson) Lewis. He attended Brooten High School.

In November 1966, Dale entered the United States Army and served his country until his honorable discharge in September 1968. His service reflected a quiet commitment and sense of duty that remained part of who he was throughout his life.

On March 22, 1969, Dale was united in marriage to Rosemary Spencer in Brooten. They made their home in Brooten and were blessed with four children. Dale and Rosemary shared 57 years of marriage.

Dale worked as a school bus driver for the Brooten School District for 27 years. In that role, he became a familiar and trusted presence to many families and students. He found great joy in the outdoors and in the work he loved. Dale enjoyed hunting, fishing, trapping, and farming. He also spent time working with and raising horses and birds. As he got older, Dale thoroughly enjoyed feeding and watching the birds. These simple, steady pleasures reflected the kind of man he was. He will be remembered for his love for his family and the outdoors, as well as for all the kids on his school bus route whose lives he touched along the way. When Dale needed help with his daily care he moved into the VA Community Living Center in St. Cloud, Minnesota. He died there on Sunday, August 30, 2026.

Dale is survived by his wife, Rosemary Lewis; sons, Lonny (Carol) and Tracy (Stacey) Lewis; daughters, Tammie Lewis and Ammie (Larry) Zachow; grandchildren, Ashley (Chris) Mersbergen, Abby Zachow, Cody (MaKenna) Lewis, Zach Lewis, Kaitlyn Lewis, McKenzie Krumm, Lane Zachow, Wyatt Lewis, and Andrew Goers, Peter Goers; great-grandchildren, Mason, Hadley, Karley Mersbergen, and Coraline, Willow, Waylon Lewis; two sisters, Helen Bjorge and Donna (Loren) Solbreken; two brothers, Donald (Kym) and Jon (Jodi) Lewis; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ellis and Doris Lewis, brother, Ronald Dean Lewis and brother-in-law, Kermit Bjorge.