We lost our dad, Ret. Col. Dale O. Haselhorst, 65, of Whitewood, to ALS on May 3, 2011. Dad passed away while at home with his loving wife, Connie Haselhorst.

Visitation will be from 3-6 P.M., Sunday, May 8, 2011 at Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapel in Spearfish. Vigil services will be held at 7:30 P.M.on Sunday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Spearfish.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 A.M. on Monday, May 9, 2011 at St. Joseph Catholic Church with Father Tim Hoag as Celebrant. Burial with military honors will take place at 2:00 P.M. at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

Dale was born July 1, 1945 in Northville, South Dakota to Vernon and Merelene (Hoegermeier) Haselhorst. He grew up working hard with his father in the Northville Elevator. He graduated from Northwestern High School and in 1967, he earned a BS from South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD and later receiving his MBA, while in the Air Force, from the University of Arkansas. Dale married Connie (Constance Katherine) Mensing of Lemmon, SD in 1967. Together, they embarked on a career serving the U.S. in military life and raising two children, daughter, Sabrina, and son, Paul.

Dale was commissioned as an officer in the Air Force in 1967 and received his pilot wings at Webb AFB in Texas. Dale flew the RF-4C and after serving in Vietnam in 1969 to 1970, Dale's assignments included duties in Ramstein and Zweibrucken ABs in Germany, Fort Hood and Bergstrom AFB in Texas, Langley AFB in Virginia, U.S. Naval War College Command and Staff College in Rhode Island, Osan AB in Korea, and Kadena AB in Japan.

Dale received his colonel wings, May 1, 1989. "Colonel Haselhorst" was a command pilot with over 4,000 hours in the T-41, T-37, T-38, RF-4C, O-2A, C-130 and UH-1 aircrafts. His military decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force and Army Commendation Medals and The Legion of Merit. Colonel Haselhorst finished his career with his last major assignment as Vice Commander of Yokota Air Base in Japan.

Dale and Connie made good friends together from all over the world, enjoyed sharing their lives with family who visited on every assignment, and turned every new assignment into a wonderful home and family life to share with their children. Dale and Connie loved building and working in the garage and yard together, and then exploring new places on long drives to stop and talk to people and share a beer or two.

Dale and Connie retired in their beloved home state of South Dakota, where they built a home in Whitewood. Dale's tireless spirit for making home and family life special continued in retirement. Dale worked with his good friends building homes and spent many hours in leadership of the Whitewood Forest Acres Road District.

Over the last 15 years, Dale and his wife, Connie, continued make new friends, host so many of their old friends, and receive their large family for celebrations and visits. As a grandfather, Dale spent many special days, weeks, and months devoted to his grandchildren, who along with all of us, will miss him dearly.

Dale will be missed by his wife Connie; his daughter Sabrina (Jason) Jansen, Waialua, HI, children Sam, Savannah, Jordan; his son Paul (Monia), Laramie, WY, children Kyle and Ian; his sister Marge (John) Bott, Olathe, KS, children Lori (Bryan) Barnes, Jodi and Kari (Chris) Bollinger; his sister Barb (John) Sweet, Delano, MN, children Kim (Jason) Rubenstein and Pam (Michael) Redlinger; his mother-in-law Vera Mensing, Spearfish, SD; his sister-in-law Jackie Lockert, Jordan, MN, children Mike (Sarah), Karri Beath and Becky (John) Ringsmuth; his brother-in-law Bobby Mensing, Spearfish, SD.

Dale was preceded by his parents Vernon and Merelene and his father-in-law Bob Mensing.