Dale Schwartzhoff

Dale C. Schwartzhoff, 75, of Dorchester died Tuesday, October 14, 2014 at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, WI. Funeral services were held Friday, October 17 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Dorchester, with Fr. Jim Dubert officiating. Burial was at St. Mary’s Dorchester Cemetery.
Dale Clarence Schwartzhoff was born September 23, 1939 in Spring Grove, MN, the son of Clarence Theodore and Winifred Florentine (Welscher) Schwartzhoff. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Dorchester. He attended country school and graduated from Spring Grove High School in 1958. Upon graduation, Dale completed basic training and was in the Army Reserves. Dale pursued his passion for farming, starting with his parents.
May 15, 1965, he married Marie Howes at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon.  A short time after, Dale and Marie purchased the family farm. They continued running the dairy herd as well as raising crops and other livestock. Dale spent over 50 years as a DeKalb seed dealer.  In 2004, Dale and Marie built a new home and continued to live on the Schwartzhoff Century Farm.
Dale was a member and former Trustee of St. Mary Catholic Church in Dorchester and was also formerly active in NFO. Dale loved to socialize with family and friends. He was a pillar of his community. The center of Dale’s life was his faith, family, friends and farming.  His dry wit and optimistic view on life will be dearly missed. It was an honor to know him and to love him.
Survivors include his wife, Marie, of Dorchester; five children and 10 grandchildren, including: his son, Jeff (Lisa), of Dorchester and their children, Emily (Matt) Burrichter, Erika (Jacob Halverson) Schwartzhoff, Matt (Tayler Kurk) Schwartzhoff and Jackson Wilson; his son, Nick (Lynn), of Eitzen, MN and their children, Megan and Abby; his son, Craig, of Eitzen, MN; his son, Brad (Kelly), of Dorchester and their children, Jake and Molly; and his daughter, Diane (Craig) Thier, of Peosta and their children, Ella and Elliott; a great-grandson, Dustin Burrichter; and seven siblings, Marie (Donald) Ellestad of Caledonia, MN, Gerald (Darlene) Schwartzhoff of Dorchester, Earl (Patricia) Schwartzhoff of Rochester, MN, Alice Brown of Burnsville, MN, Gary (Nancy) Schwartzhoff of Eau Claire, WI, Helen (Robert Boyd) Schwartzhoff of Burnsville, MN and Joe (Kathy) Schwartzhoff of Decorah. Dale was preceded in death by his parents.
Casketbearers were Greg, Mike and Matt Schwartzhoff, Kirk Simmons, Matt Burrichter and Jacob Halverson. Honorary casketbearers were Dale’s grandchildren.
Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.