Dale R. Veen

DALE ROBERT VEEN was born on December 7, 1944, to Fred and Norma (Wittrock) Veen in Pipestone, Minnesota. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Pipestone. Dale attended country school in Grange Township in Pipestone County, then finished his schooling at Pipestone High School, graduating in 1962.

At the age of 12, Dale lost his mother to cancer. He farmed with his father after high school, and also joined the Pipestone National Guard in 1963, where he was honorably discharged in 1966. He was united in marriage to Carol Matson on March 16, 1968. They were blessed with three children, Kevin, Kelly, and Kami. They rented and resided on the farm and in 1974, they purchased the farm from his father. They built a new dairy barn and continued to milk Holstein dairy cows until 1991. Because of health reasons, they sold the dairy herd. Before selling the dairy cows, Dale started a small registered Simmental beef herd. In 2004, Dale fell eight feet from a hay stack and injured his back. It was then that Dale chose to retire from farming and they moved into town. He was very proud of what he raised.

Dale served on the DHIA board and was a 4-H Dairy Leader. He was an avid sports fan, playing church softball and coaching Little League. Dale also enjoyed watching his children’s, and later on his grandchildren’s activities. He loved to fish, especially for bullheads and always looked forward to fishing with family during the yearly trips to Detroit Lakes. He didn’t like to travel much but he ventured out to attend a few games of his favorite team, the Minnesota Twins. He also took Carol to Hawaii for their 45th Anniversary and to Alaska for their 50th. He liked to watch the Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Cubs and, in earlier years, the Los Angeles Dodgers. In his retirement, he liked to read Western books and outdoor sports magazines. He was a member of First Lutheran Church in Pipestone. He was very proud of his family and they knew it even though he couldn’t express it to them. Dale died peacefully on April 23, 2022, at Avera Sunrise Manor surrounded by his family at the age of 77 years, 5 months, and 16 days.

Dale is survived by his wife, Carol of 54 years; children, Kevin (Andrea) Veen of Eagan, Minnesota, Kelly (Ryck) Jorgensen of Tyler, Minnesota; three grandsons, Adam Jorgensen of Tyler, Brandon and Carter Veen of Eagan; sister-in-law, Eileen Matson; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Dale was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Kami; grandson, Parker Veen; brother and sister-in-law, Loren and Ardy Veen; and sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Sabo Steenstra; father and mother-in-law, Melvin and Mary Matson; brothers-in-law, Richard Matson, Robert Matson; and sister-in-law, Mary Ann Matson.
Blessed be his memory!