Monday, August 11, 2008

Remembering Dale Haskell

Dale Haskell of Cambridge Citadel was Promoted to Glory early today. Just two weeks after his wife Nancy. Dale’s health has been deteriorating the last few years and particularly the last few months, so this was not unexpected.

Dale has had serious health problems over the last 25+ years and went through it all with a positive attitude. Now his suffering is over.

As I mentioned below with Nancy, Dale was a big supporter of Camp Selkirk and music camp in particular. I don’t remember an actual conversation, but I know it was our Uncle Dale that encouraged my siblings and I to attend music camp, and we thank him for that.

I do remember Uncle Dale telling us that it didn’t matter what we got on our theory or bible test at the end of the week, or if we won an award or not. The most important part of music camp was having fun. And we certainly did have fun!

I remember Dale playing an elf to Glen Reynolds’ Santa during a Christmas theme day at Junior Music Camp in the ‘80’s. They rode around camp in a front end loader, throwing candy.

After Dale started kidney dialysis, he was still able to be a part of music camp faculty. He would leave camp three mornings a week, drive to Hamilton to do his dialysis at the hospital, then come back to camp in the afternoon. He wouldn’t miss music camp for anything!

Dale was also a music camp student in his youth. Dale and Nancy donated the Haskell Instrumental Award to Junior Music Camp, sometime the ‘80‘s.

We’ll miss you Uncle Dale!