Dale Alan Yeager

Dale Alan Yeager, 76, of Galesburg, Illinois died 2:50 p.m. Thursday, April 13, 2017 at Rosewood Care Center, Galesburg.

He was born on May 21, 1940 and was a lifelong resident of Galesburg. Growing up he was a fun loving son and brother who always enjoyed practical jokes and goofing around. He graduated from Galesburg High School in 1958 where he ran track and played basketball. He married his high school sweetheart, Sharon Sage, on April 22, 1960 to whom he was married for 56 years until his death.

He began his working career in the family business, Yeager & Sons Heating and Cooling, and then went on to own several small businesses along the way, including Yeager Hardware. In his spare time, he enjoyed sports, fishing, playing instruments, restoring homes and spending time with his friends and growing family.

In 1981, he survived a massive stroke that left him physically incapacitated but no less a loving husband, father, brother and friend. Through it all, he remained a positive and inspirational figure and force in the lives of those around him, never complaining about his circumstance and always wanting to simply enjoy a good laugh or joke.

His favorite mottos were "The Pack will be back" as well as "When the going gets tough, the tough get going" - and that he most certainly did.

He was preceded in death by his parents Clarence and Frances (Busse) Yeager, his brother John Yeager and his sisters Corrine Yeager and Mary (Yeager) Mahoney and his nephew Tyson Yeager.

He will be deeply missed by his wife Sharon, his daughter Kelly (and Doug) Gau of Galesburg, his son Mike (and Michelle) Yeager of Morrison, Colorado and his daughters Patricia (and Greg) McCrery of Atlanta, Georgia and Jane (and Wayne) Keller of Deland, Florida.

He is also in the loving thoughts of his nine grandchildren who each gave him absolute joy in the latter part of his life - Alex and Lauren Gau; Mathew, Joseph and Jack Yeager; Philip and Samantha McCrery; and Annika and Sara Keller.

He is survived by his sisters Lois (and Leo) Dawson of Kalispell, Montana and Donna Grady of Campbell, California as well as many nieces and nephews.