Longtime businessman, leader Corby Dale passes away at 90

Upon graduating high school, he entered the U.S. Navy and served during WWII.  After the war he enrolled in the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science and graduated in 1947.  He served his apprenticeship at various funeral homes in the San Joaquin Valley and came to Hanford in 1951, where he met and married the love of his life Elizabeth (Betty) Morrison.

They came to Lemoore in 1955 to work at Phipps Mortuary.  He worked in the Chamber of Commerce and was a member of the Lemoore Elementary School Board of trustees for 14 years.  He was also associated with Little League and Babe Ruth baseball.

He acquired Phipps Mortuary in 1970 and changed the name to Phipps-Dale Funeral Chapel.  He sold the business to his son Alan in 2002.  In 1972 he was named Lemoore Citizen of the Year and in 1996 he and Betty were chosen King and Queen to represent Lemoore at the Kings County Homecoming.  He was a member and past president of the Kiwanis Club for 26 years.  He was a 50-year member of the Lemoore Masonic Lodge and a 65-year member of the American Legion and the VFW.

Corby was a lifelong member of the Episcopal Church, now the Anglican Church.  He was Diocesan Treasurer for 14 years and locally was one of the founding members of Christ Church, Lemoore.  He served God in a number of ways including Sunday School Teacher, Lay Eucharistic Minister, and Lay Reader and served numerous terms on the Church Board of Directors.

He was preceded in death by his daughter; Cynthia Horton and a son; Steven Dale.  He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years; Betty Dale, a son; Alan Dale and wife Candace and grandchildren; Moriah Bonilla and husband Adam, Stephanie Whittington and husband David, James Davis and Andrew Dale, 3 great-grandchildren; Isaiah Bonilla, Dean Whittington and Noah Bonilla.

Corby loved God, his family, his community and his country.  He was one in a generation of great men and women in Lemoore and throughout the country who have or are passing away and they will all be greatly missed.  May God bless them all.

Visitation will be Friday from 3-7 p.m. at Phipps-Dale Funeral Chapel.  A Funeral Service will be held Saturday at 9:00 a.m. at St. Peter's Catholic Church with interment following in Grangeville Cemetery.  Friends who wish may contribute to God's Bread Box, 740 N. 19th Ave., Lemoore, CA  93245.