Dale Edwin Skogen 81, longtime Adams County Rancher, passed away at his home near Hettinger, ND on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Dale's family will celebrate his life on Thursday, December 31, 2020 at the Centennial Chapel of Evanson Jensen Funeral Homes in Hettinger, ND.  His ashes will be buried at a later date in 2021 at the Hettinger Cemetery.

He was born on July 12, 1939, to Anna and Edwin Skogen. Dale attended a one room schoolhouse for eight years and graduated from Hettinger High School. Of course, he walked uphill both ways in a snowstorm to get there and back. He married Carol Markegard in 1959, and they had four children, Lahoma, Dale, Jody and Mariya.  In 1978, after using his greatest pick up line, "Those are the ugliest shoes I have ever seen," he married Audrey Dassinger, and together they built the life they loved.  Three children were born to this union, Seth, Shawn and Samantha.

Dale did many things for a living during his life and the majority involved people and livestock. His compassion for both was felt far and wide.  His favorite pastime was talking on the phone.  He was an early riser and would first call his brother who lived in the Central time zone because it was too early to call his neighbors or his children. Many of his early morning conversations were with his mother-in-law and involved differing opinions on how to run a ranch.

Dale was a genuine family man. A true father is more than just a dad, a true father is also a mentor and a coach.  He would try to prevent poor choices before they happened, and not a single one of his family has forgotten the famous lines, "What were you thinking?" or "Do I have to do the thinking for everybody around here?"

Those were not the only snippets of wisdom he so frequently offered--some of which made your eyes roll clear to the back of your head. His most useful were the most simple.  "Work hard and always do your best", "Pay attention", "Don't take shortcuts", "Never quit", "Slow down and be careful around equipment", "God gave you two eyes, two ears and only one mouth for a reason."  Most of this wisdom was divvied out in his version of a Midwestern Tuxedo and Ivory Tower, also known as Carhartt coveralls and a torn seat of a John Deere 4430 tractor.  He loved his family, his cows and that old tractor.

Grateful for having shared in Dale's life are his wife, Audrey; children, Lahoma (Joe) Turner, Boise, ID; Dale Skogen, Fargo, ND; Jody (Tammy) Skogen, Mandan, ND; Mariya (Kevin) Mosser, Mandan, ND; Seth (Sarah) Skogen, Hettinger, ND; Shawn (Chelsee) Skogen, Dickinson, ND; and Sam (Brian) Kessler, Buffalo, WY; brother, Donny (Mary Ellen) Skogen, Johnstown, ND; sister, Doris Hite, Cedar Rapids, IA; 16 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Dale was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Donald Skogen and Dorwin Skogen; and two sisters, Dorlene Gaylord and Della Stippich.

If you knew Dale Edwin Skogen, you knew what he endured and knew his strength and his humor. As he grew older, Dale's favorite song was "Too Old to Die Young'' by Moe Bandy.  The chorus goes, "Let me watch my children grow to see what they become. Oh Lord, don't let that cold wind blow 'til I'm too old to die young." He felt he successfully accomplished that goal and now it's his time to rest easy.