By Susan Edmonston, Editor Emeritus
She sits in her recliner in the living room, happily visiting with family on her cell phone. Near her at the foot of the recliner is a basket full of yarn and a partially-finished crocheted afghan in off-white. There is always a card table nearby with a jigsaw puzzle in progress. She is known by her cinnamon rolls.
Helen Dale, 96, is probably the oldest living resident in Protection and is one of several others in Comanche County who are her age or older. A resident at Pioneer Lodge, in Coldwater, has made it to 106.
Dale credits her longevity to good sleep habits – early to bed, early to rise – having breakfast, dinner and supper meals at a regular time, daily exercise and staying active. Her favorite TV programs are “Little House on the Prairie” and “The Waltons.” The Dale family has fun, laughs a lot, works hard and serves God.
She has been a part of the 4-H program for about 80 years and serving as a club leader for 40. Three daughters – Cynthia, Penny, Jill – and two sons – Kurt and Andrew – joined 4-H, and they kept their mom and dad busy, too.
When the county fair came around each year, Dale’s entries in Open Class would include garden produce, quilts and sewing. She had a greenhouse several years to grow salad greens during the winter.
She joined 4-H in Stanton County when she was 10 years old. Dale’s mother, DeEtta Winger, was a 4-H leader and helped her with baking and canning. Dale learned to sew using a treadle machine.
Her husband, Bill, passed away, at age 93, in February 2024, but she doesn’t live alone. After Noah Dale, son of Andrew and Debbie, graduated from high school in Topeka, he attended two years of college, then moved into his grandparents’ home. He helps his Uncle Kurt and Aunt Andi, who reside on a farm only a few miles away, as well as being employed at Ashland Feed & Seed.
Helen Dale was a junior at K-State when she met Bill Dale, of Protection, on a blind date. Bill’s roommate was Richard Ward, of Protection.
Helen graduated in 1952 from Kansas State University with a BS in home economics and extension.
Bill was serving in the Marines for two years then came back to K-State to finish his degree in husband agronomy and graduated in 1955. That’s when Bill and Helen moved to Protection. Both became involved in Kiowa Creek 4-H Club and they ended up becoming club leaders.
For years Helen had girls come to her home and she taught them sewing skills as they worked on their 4-H projects. When South Central Schools went from five days a week to four, that gave more time for her to help the beginners.
Jan St.Clair – a nearby neighbor to the Dales but also the Comanche County Extension agent – asked Dale if she would help with 4-H countywide and she did. They met once a week in Coldwater.
She judged 4-H projects such as clothing and foods in surrounding counties.
Dale grew up in Stanton County on a farm. Her parents were Charles and DeEtta Winger, who homesteaded in that county. They had five children and she was the next to last child. Her parents and siblings are no longer living. She is the only one left in her dad’s family.
Other Activities
Dale is a 60-year member of Eastern Star. She was also a member of P.E.O. and Harmony Club.
She was the office secretary at the Protection United Methodist Church for years, as well as a member and officer in the UMW meetings.
She and Bill began to be youth group leaders in the 1960s for that church and were teachers, VBS workers and active in all activities of the church. She sewed the curtains that are in the fellowship hall windows.
They were volunteer workers for 15 years for McCurdy, a United Methodist school at Espanola, N.M. They would spend one week in the summer with a work team and go again for two weeks in the winter on their own as Volunteers in Mission. Bill did carpentry and maintenance work and Helen usually sewed or was a para in the elementary grades.
Bill was a board member for Youthville. The Youthville name was later changed to Ember Hope. The main campus is in Newton.
What Keeps Helen Busy?
Two days after South Central’s graduation ceremony in May, Dale fell outside her rural home, breaking her right wrist, as well as other injuries. She was hospitalized and had to wear a neck brace for six weeks. She is left-handed and willing to tackle anything.
She plays games on her cell phone such as Wordle, Sudoku and Connections.
She likes to read every day, especially the large-print books.
The Sundays that she misses church, she’ll watch Chapel Hill on television.
Every two weeks, she and her family use Zoom to communicate with each other.
Memories
Dale remembers the Depression years in 1930s when there was sugar rationing, saving aluminum, toothpaste and tools. Her brother served in the army during World War II. Dale and her mother would go with an organization to Syracuse to meet troop trains and serve snacks to the soldiers.
Bill had a pilot’s license and would take family members for short flights. Bill and Helen would fly out to Johnson to visit family there and return home the same day.
Twins! The family was surprised when Helen delivered two babies in 1970: Kurt and Andrew. Helen’s dad was a twin and later his sister gave birth to identical twin boys two days after Kurt and Andrew were born.
The Dales attended the Hutchinson State Fair for many years because five of their children were in 4-H and later three granddaughters who had projects entered there.
Sally Selzer contracted Helen years ago to sew items to be used for Worship Woodworks’ wooden Biblical figures.
Another memory was her spending Wednesday afternoons in the church fellowship hall for two hours quilting with a dozen other Methodist women such as Allene Jones, Viola Schumacher, Nola Harvey, Gladys Peacock, Irene Moore, and Clara Schweitzer.
Her husband, Bill, died in February 2024. They had been married for 71 years. The Dale family celebrated their parents’ 50th wedding anniversary in 2002 at Angel Fire, N.M. Their 60th was celebrated in the fellowship hall of the Protection Methodist Church. Their 70th anniversary was held at Kurt and Andi’s home.
