Dale Albert Wood, 78, of Foster, Oregon passed away Sunday, September 20, at Samaritan Evergreen Hospice House in Albany after a nearly four-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

He was born in Brainerd, Minnesota to Loyd and Laura (Ellis) Wood. The family moved to Salem when he was two years old.

Dale graduated from North Salem High School in 1955 and from Oregon State College in 1960 with a degree in Forest Engineering. In 1960. he received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant and served in the Oregon Army National Guard for eight years. He retired with the rank of Captain.

In 1960, Dale was hired as a Forest Engineer by Willamette National Lumber Company in Foster. The company merged with Santiam Lumber, and then became Willamette Industries. Dale held a variety of positions during his 35-year tenure with the company. He retired in 1995 as Manager of Oregon Logging Operations for Willamette Industries.

In December of 1963, he married Joan Louise Kleinke.

Following his retirement in 1995, Dale and Joan enjoyed motorhome trips to fish, hunt, and explore Oregon and the desert southwest. They hiked the Alps of Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, and Slovenia. Each winter, Joan and Dale hiked the Grand Canyon. For many years,they maintained the USFS Weiderman Trail, a historic cattle drive route east of Sweet Home.

Dale is a past master of Sweet Home Masonic Lodge, #202, and is a life member of East Linn Masonic Lodge, #44.

Dale is survived by: his wife of 51 years, Joan Louise Wood, of Foster; daughters Laurie Krei of Pleasant Hill, and Sara and her husband, Gary Blefgen, of Portland; granddaughter Katie Krei of Pleasant Hill; sister Karen and her husband, LeRoy Rempel, of Dallas; niece Debbie Rempel of Dallas; nephew Mark and his wife, Shelly Rempel, of Keizer; and the family Australian Shepherd, Olallie.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, October 3, at Jim Riggs Community Center. To honor Dale’s wishes, his cremains will be spread in the Cascades.

Memorial contributions can be made in Dale’s name to Evergreen Samaritan Hospice, 1046 Sixth Avenue, SW, Albany, Oregon 97321-1999.

Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements.