Dale M.P.H.

Dale Hunsaker, age ninety-two, passed away on June 21, 2014. Born in Klamath Falls, Oregon on May 30, 1922 to Ray and Wayve (Lindsey) Hunsaker, he was preceded in death by his parents, his older brother Lee, younger brother Floyd, and dearest friend Anita H. Grand. Dale is survived by his partner Donald L. Crary, of Madison, his identical twin brother, Don (Preecha) of Garland Texas, his sister-in-law Kathleen of Greenfield Junction, Maine and a beloved Schnauzer named Brady, nieces, nephews and affectionate Lindsey cousins. He will be missed by his very special friends, Bill Reiser of Depere, Wisconsin and Dennis ( Carol Ann) Detlef of Arlington, Virginia. He will also be missed by an elite group of Mineral Point Road Panera's Coffee friends under the genuine attention of Jeanne Mueller. His friends from Asbury United Methodist Church have also been a constant source of strength , both spiritually and in his daily life and during his extended stays at Oakwood- West and Attic Angel Place.
Dale graduated from Klamath Falls Union High School in Klamath Falls, Oregon and attended Willamette University in Salem, Oregon earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in biology and then a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Oregon Medical School . He completed his internship at St. Vincent's Hospital in Portland, Oregon and then his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Jefferson Davis Hospital and Baylor University of Medicine in Houston Texas. He practiced obstetrics and gynecology in Texas, Oregon and Montana. After leaving private practice, he earned a Master of Public Health degree from the University of California, Berkley in 1971. He moved to Madison , Wisconsin to be Deputy Director of the Bureau of Community Health Services and Director of Maternal and Child Health in the Wisconsin Division of Health. He held this position from 1971-1980.
In 1980 he was appointed Director of the Division of Community Health Services in the Virginia Health Department. Later he was appointed Director for the Tidewater Health District where he could proudly proclaim that he was health director for the Great Dismal Swamp! Dale ended his medical career in 1989 as City Health Director for Portsmouth, Virginia . This final position provided him his greatest pleasure in state service since it combined administrative and hands- on experience at a time when HIV was becoming a prominent concern in the health care community.
Upon retirement, he returned to Madison, Wisconsin where his volunteer efforts included assisting Marilyn Haynes with adult computer classes at MATC and mending torn pages and broken bindings with surgical precision for his partner at the Orchard Ridge Elementary School Library. During this time, his pie baking skills were on display in the Wisconsin State Journal's Daybreak ( 11/8/1999) in which he was featured for his expertise on baking flaky pie crust for pecan, pumpkin and deep dish apple pies.
Dale fought a long and valiant battle to recover from hip surgery in December 2013 but the incontestable forces of age and chronic infirmity were too strong even for his determined spirit. He was a favorite of two wonderful physical therapists, Maria Schumaker of Oakwood Village- West and Ean Van Vliet at Attic Angel Place. Finally we are grateful for the assistance of the caring staff at Attic Angel Place, for the diligence of his physician, Dr. Peter B. Idsvoog, and the compassion and expertise of the helpers and volunteers from Agrace HospiceCare.
A service honoring Dale's life will be held at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 at the CRESS CENTER, 6021 University Ave., Madison, WI 53705

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Agrace or a charity of one's choice.

Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and song and he has become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2