Dr. Vernon Dale Spear, 86

Dr. Vernon Dale Spear, 86, of Algona, Iowa, died on Wednesday, March 31, 2010, at the Kossuth Regional Health Center. Visitation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 8, at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home in Kalispell. Interment will follow at 11 a.m. at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery with the Army National Guard and the United Veterans of the Flathead Valley doing military honors. Vernon Dale Spear, the son of Harry Johnson and Anvy Alberta (Dewell) Spear, was born on March 8, 1924, in Clarence, Iowa. He graduated from Tipton High School in 1941. In 1953, Dale graduated from Iowa State University with a doctorate in veterinary medicine, dentistry and surgery. He served as a sergeant major in the U.S. Army during World War II were he received the Bronze Star. Dale was united in marriage with Mary J. Loberg on Dec. 10, 1962, in Preston, Minn. He was a member of First Lutheran Church in Algona, Iowa, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Cossack Team ISU, Elks and the Iowa State Alumni Association. Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 47 years, Mary; five children, Dlo Le Spear-Sykes of Seattle, Todd Niels Spear of Spokane, Robin Jill Spear Welter of Richmond, Calif., Alex Johnson Spear of Kalispell, and Susan Anne Klein of Albuquerque, N.M.; and six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother, Max Spear. Condolences may be left at www.lentzfuneralhome.com.