Obituary of Dale Cross

Dale was born into a busy family, the fourth of five siblings: Betty, Susan, Roy, and Glen. In 1970, the Cross family settled permanently in Yorkton. Growing up in this close-knit community, Dale was an excellent hockey player and developed a deep passion for the game, a love that stayed with him throughout his life. Victor Place, the street he grew up on, likely bears the lasting marks of countless street hockey games.

In 1973, the Cross family faced the sudden death of their father, leaving Bonnie to raise her children alone. Bonnie provided for her family and encouraged her children to engage in activities that would keep them active. Susan introduced Dale to five-pin bowling, a passion that he became known for. She coached and encouraged him throughout his childhood as he won different championships and tournaments.

And as fate would have it, it was in a bowling alley that the universe worked its magic. Dale met the love of his life at the Yorkton bowling alley in 1992. Out one night at the lanes, his brother Glen nudged him, saying, “Check out the girl on lane one.” Smooth-talking Dale broke the ice with: “Can I bum a smoke?” The girl on lane one, Desiree, lent him a cigarette, they struck up a conversation and were soon dating. Not long after, they married!

For a while, bowling was central to Dale’s life. From 1994 to 1996, he ran the bowling alley in Canora, Saskatchewan. In 1995, Dale welcomed his first son, Dillon, followed by Devon in 2000. Dale was no stranger to hard work. He tried his hand at many different jobs, working in the dairy industry, then as a miller and finally as a miner. In 2008, Dale joined Mosaic potash, initially as a labourer before transitioning to an underground operator. Despite having no prior experience with heavy machinery, he quickly excelled and developed a deep appreciation and understanding of operation of a two or four rotor drilling machine. Dale later became a supervisor, where he emphasized safety, integrity, and hard work. He was deeply committed to his crew.

But as anyone who knew him knows, Dale’s first and most important love was his family. He was so proud of his boys, Dillon and Devon, and the men they had become. Des was his sweet, true love, and he often expressed his gratitude to others for the good fortune to have her in his life. When it came to Des, he always said he was a lucky man.

Spending time with family and friends was important to Dale. He often took trips to the lake, where he was “livin’ the dream.” Dale loved fishing and was known for making the best gin and tonic. He was an avid card player, effortlessly winning at Crib and Kaiser, and was skilled in Blackjack and Poker. He made a few memorable trips to Vegas with his brother-in-law and father-in-law. Although not a big swimmer, he loved hanging out on the beach in Mexico with family and friends. Dale enjoyed listening to a wide range of music, from Don Williams to Meatloaf and everything in between. He was often finding numerous ways to spoil his two wiener dogs, Rook and Bishop.