Dale D. Rader

Dale Duane Rader, age 69, of Elkhart, passed away on September 24, 2026, at the Center for Hospice Care, Esther House, with his family by his side. Dale was born on January 8, 1957, in Elkhart, Indiana, to the late Carlton and Mary (Strope) Rader. He graduated from Penn High School and soon after graduation began a career in the ambulance manufacturing industry. Dale dedicated many years to the profession and retired in 2026 as Operations Manager for Medix Ambulance. On June 12, 1993, he married Margaret “Cathy” Conley in Osceola. Together they shared more than 33 years of marriage filled with love, laughter, and family.

Dale is survived by his wife, Cathy; his children, Carrie (Jason) Landon, Jeremy Wireman, Dale (Andrea) Rader II, Wesley (Stephanie) Wireman, and Ryne Rader; his grandchildren, Blake (Renee) Landon, Cami (Riley) Lundy, Carly Landon, Isabella Rader, and Ally Rader; and his great-grandchildren, Waylon Landon, Cooper O. Landon, and Oliver Lundy. He is also survived by his sister, Deb (Mike) Englebert; his nieces, Erin (Koley) Gee and Kristin (Jake) Hershberger; and his great-niece and great-nephew, Macie Gee and Vincent Gee. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother-in-law, Rick Guzicki.

Outside of work, Dale volunteered his time to youth baseball and served as a Little League umpire for many years. His dedication to the game earned him the opportunity to umpire in the Little League World Series on two occasions. He was a lifelong sports fan who faithfully followed the Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, and Notre Dame athletics. He also worked as a stadium supervisor at Notre Dame, helping oversee football games and other events in the stadium.

Dale enjoyed smoking meats, grilling, and spending time outdoors. He especially loved his cabin at Hoffman Lake near Warsaw, where he became known as the person others could always count on when they needed a hand. Whether helping a neighbor, solving a problem, or just sharing time with friends and family, Dale was someone people felt comfortable going to for help and enjoyed being around.

Above all, Dale was devoted to his family. He worked hard throughout his life to provide for those he loved and took great pride in spending time with them. He also enjoyed the simple moments, including taking his mother, Mary, to a good Jonah Fish Fry whenever the opportunity arose.

Visitation will be held from 4-7 pm Thursday, October 1, 2026, at Cruz Family Funeral Home in Osceola. There will also be 1 hour of visitation prior to the 11:00 am funeral service on Friday, October 2, 2026, at Cruz Family Funeral Home, and Dale will be laid to rest in Olive Cemetery following services. For those unable to attend, a livestream of his funeral service will be available to join in real time in the window below.

In his memory, donations may be made to the Center for Hospice by following this link: Center for Hospice. The Rader family would like to extend a special note of thanks to the Center for Hospice for the care and love shown to them throughout Dale’s time in their care.

To light a virtual candle, share a story of Dale’s life, or leave a message of comfort for his family, please follow the links provided on the Guestbook tab above.

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