Dale Ward

Born in Iron River, Mich., to the late Thomas and Nydia (King) Ward, Dale grew up in Gaastra and attended Gaastra and Stambaugh Schools until enlisting in the Navy at the age of 17. He served on aircraft carrier USS Randolf in division V1 maintaining jet catapults, aircraft arresting and recovery equipment.

In June of 1960, shortly after returning home from service, Dale witnessed a cave-in on Highway 424 near Gaastra. The road gave way, swallowing a car containing two friends followed by a second car driven by a cousin, Marie Manform. Dale, his father, Thomas, with two others, descended into the cave-in and saved Marie and Richard Bonneti. Dale’s good friend, Wayne Halgamo, died at the scene. For his bravery, Dale was awarded the American Legion Medal for Heroism, as was his father.

On Nov. 5, 1960, he married Barbara Fedrizzi at St. Cecelia Church in Caspian. In 1962 they moved to Iron Mountain to manage the Rancho Hotel, which they co-owned with Barbara’s parents, Walter and Rose Fedrizzi.

Dale earned his GED from Kingsford High School and later graduated from NMU’s mechanic’s program. Dale worked at Town & Country Ford as a mechanic and service manager as well as a purchasing manager for F.H. Bathke and Michigan Airgas.

An avid golfer, Dale was a member of Oak Crest Golf Course for 50 years, served on the board and worked on numerous projects. As a member of the UPGA, and for many years its secretary treasurer, he worked with golf courses around the region to orchestrate the annual men’s golf championships and was a tireless advocate of junior golf across the U.P. In 2018, he was honored for his contributions to golf at Oak Crest Golf Course and across the U.P. and Northern Wisconsin. Among personal highlights, Dale played Pebble Beach and Harbour Town Golf Courses, and numerous rounds at Callawassie Island Golf Course in South Carolina.

As a member of the Kiwanis Ski Club for 50-plus years, Dale helped bring World Cup ski jumping to Iron Mountain. Dale traveled to many ski jumping tournaments around the region, and during a 25th anniversary trip to Austria in 1986, he and his wife, Barbara, watched tournaments in Europe as the guests of National Austrian Jumping Coach, Elois Lipberger and his wife, Carlin Wedin.

Dale was also a member of the United Sportsmen’s Club and the Amateur Trapshooting Association. He traveled to many shooting tournaments state-wide and out of over 100 shooters was the state class B runner-up.

Dale was also valued as a member of the board at Dickinson County Memorial Hospital for 21 years and helped oversee the building of the new hospital.

One of Dale’s prized possessions was the hunting camp he bought near Channing, just off the Michigamme River. There he spent time hunting and fishing with his wife, sons Tom and Dale Jr, grandson Tony and friends. It was also a place for gatherings, playing cribbage and, of course, drinking beer.

Dale formed many travel plans around visiting family. Dale and Barbara spent time during a number of winters with Bill and Cathy Ryan (Fedrizzi) in Florida and with their son Tom and his wife Janine in South Carolina. When traveling north or south they spent time with their daughter Kelly in Springfield, Ill., and made a special trip to see his daughter, Kathleen in Boise, Idaho.

Of all the great things that Dale had in his life, the greatest of all was the steadfast love of his wife, Barbara, with whom he would have celebrated 65 years of marriage on Nov. 5, 2025.

Together they had four children of which he was proud, Thomas (Janine), Kathleen Heinze, Kelly Ward Danner (Jay) and Dale Jr. (Donna). He also had four grandchildren he loved, including Joey Forgette (Kelly), Hillari Runsat (Corey), Tony Ward (Kameron) and Ben Heinze (Chelsea), and great-grandchildren, Zach McKinney and Harper Rose Runsat. He is further survived by his sisters-in-law, Cathy Ryan (Bill) and Donna Bertling Ward (Michael), and brother-in-law, Richard Fedrizzi (Connie). Dale also had numerous nieces and nephews and friends. His family gives special recognition to two of those friends, Bill Menza and Jim Flaminio.

Dale was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Nydia; his siblings, Gerold (Marlene), Dennis (Betty), Carol Jean (Carl), Patrick and Michael. He was also preceded in death by his in-laws, Walter and Rose Fedrizzi.

The family extends its appreciation to all those who visited Dale during his final weeks, and a special thank you to the VA hospital and the Hospice Care Team for helping guide Dale to pass on peacefully and with dignity.

The family will conduct a private service this coming summer at Dale’s request.

Donations in Dale’s name may be made to the Hospice Care Programs at the Iron Mountain VA Hospital.

Condolences to the family of Dale Ward Sr. may be expressed online at www.ernashfuneralhomes.com

The family has entrusted the Erickson-Rochon & Nash Funeral Home of Iron Mountain with the arrangements.