Dale Schladetsch, a devoted husband, cherished father, loving grandfather, and well-respected friend, passed away peacefully in the presence of his family on September 3, 2026, in Belgrade, Montana. For five short weeks, he courageously fought an aggressive battle with pancreatic cancer.
He was born on August 1, 1948, in Toledo, Ohio where he attended grade school and secondary school. He earned an Associate’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Toledo. He worked as an electrician before moving to Alaska - a place he would forever cherish. Soon after his move across the country, Dale met his beautiful wife, Katie, in 1982. They married on June 7, 1986, in Anchorage and spent most of their time camping, fishing, and enjoying the beauty of Alaska. After having their first two daughters, Megan and Paige, they moved to Belgrade, Montana, where they had their third daughter, Nikki. Montana quickly became home to them, as did Dale’s love of fatherhood; being a dad was one of his greatest joys.
Dale was a dedicated employee with an unparalleled work ethic at multiple jobs in Ohio, Alaska, and Montana. His most recent position at Ridgeline Mechanical Sales in Bozeman was his favorite by far. Dale considered his colleagues family.
Dale loved to travel. Dale and Katie spent many weekends camping—Yellowstone National Park was their most-loved destination. Dale’s travels included France, Ireland, Scotland, and the UCONN Women’s Basketball games. His most recent trip brought him and Katie back to Alaska for their 40th wedding anniversary, accompanied by their entire family. Revisiting all of their favorite places and seeing where the Schladetsch family began was incredibly special to Dale.
The Catholic community held a prominent place in Dale’s life. After joining the Catholic Church in 2000, Dale dedicated his time and leadership abilities to teaching OCIA and Religious Education classes. Dale made his Cursillo/Journey weekend in 2008 and has been an active member in the community ever since. Participating in the Journey weekends, meetings, and prayer groups was deeply important to Dale’s faith. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus. Dale’s life as a husband, father, grandfather, mentor, and friend was centered around God and his unwavering belief in love and relationships. He could make a friend anywhere and strike up a conversation with anyone. Lessons could always be learned from Dale.
Dale’s legacy lives on through his beloved wife of 40 years, Katie; daughter and son-in-law, Megan and Tyler Cafro; daughter, Paige Schladetsch; daughter and son-in-law, Nikki and Rylee Orteza (grandson, Joshua); sister, Barb Beck of Ohio; and niece, Jessi Kirkwood of Alaska. Becoming a grandpa was one of Dale’s happiest moments.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lucia Brereton and Bud Kessler; sister-in-law, Janet Kirkwood; close family friend, Tom Personett; and his beloved children and grandchildren lost to miscarriage.
A Visitation will be held at Dokken-Nelson Funeral Home in Bozeman on Thursday, September 17th from 4:00-7:30 pm, with a Rosary prayer beginning at 7:30 pm. A Funeral Mass for Dale will be held on Friday, September 18th at 11:00 am at Holy Rosary Parish with a reception to follow. Mass will be livestreamed for those who are unable to attend in person. The family invites all who knew and loved Dale to join in celebrating his life and commemorating his legacy.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the family to offset medical costs via Dale’s fundraising page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/dales-circle-of-love-and-support. A portion of donations will be given to support the Journey community and Holy Rosary Parish.
Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com
