Dale G. Harvey, 86
Dale G. Harvey — father, grandfather, uncle, friend, and professor —passed away at his home on July 23, 2019.
He was born in Bainville, Montana, on Aug. 14,1932, youngest of the eight children of Fred and Gertrude Harvey. The Harvey clan moved west when the town plunged into the middle years of the Great Depression and, after a brief stint in Charlo, they planted themselves in the Flathead Valley. It was a place Dale would call his true home for the rest of his life.
Dale graduated from Flathead County High School in 1950 and departed Kalispell for higher education; he earned his Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Montana and his Master of Arts in English from Reed College. He then settled happily into a career of teaching.
In 1957, Dale married Nancy Ettinger, and they had three children, Russell, Andrew, and Renée. Dale had taught in Alaska, California and Oregon, but after the death of his parents in 1969, the family moved back to Kalispell where Dale became a professor at the newly-founded Flathead Valley Community College. He taught there until he retired in 1997.
Dale was a multi-faceted man. He taught literature; he loved Shakespeare, Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway beyond all others, but Robert Frost, Edgar Lee Masters and Dylan Thomas had their special places in his heart, too. Theater and music brought him lifelong joy, but he also loved to build and fix things — old cars, tractors — nearly anything with an engine that predated computers. And animals? Dale loved his horses, his cats were confidants, and his dogs a part of the family.
Most importantly though, Dale loved family and friends — his four brothers and three sisters, Adelaide, Torrance, Almont, Lucille, Nellie, Bob and Bill, who all preceded him in death; his children, a daughter, who died tragically young, and two sons; his 29 nieces and nephews; his soulmates from theater and college; the students he mentored and befriended; the teenaged friends of his kids who always received a kind word and a second home when they needed it.
Sentimental, warm-hearted and quick-tempered. Far from perfect, but loving laughter and song and companions of the heart. We will miss him always.
Dale was preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Renée.
He leaves behind his sons, Howard Russell (Tamara) and Andrew Dale (Diane McMenamin), his ex-wife and dear friend Nancy, and his treasured grandchildren, Nicholas and Julia.
A wake will be held to celebrate Dale’s life at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 10, at Russell’s home on 250 Anderson Lane, Kalispell. We invite you to bring poems, readings, songs and reminiscences — or just a listening ear and open heart. A light meal and drink will be provided.