Dale and Ina Mae Shuck

(Nov. 9, 2012 - by Harold Goerzen) When Dale Shuck retired in 1982 after a 32-year engineering career, he had no intentions of sitting back and letting life pass him by. Rather, this was just the impetus he needed to launch careers in hobby farming and then Christian missions. He died on Saturday, Oct. 27.

Dale Odelle Shuck was born in Brandt, S.D., on May 12, 1925. As a young boy of 4 he made a decision to follow Christ-a decision that would affect the rest of his life. As he grew up in rural South Dakota, he attended school in a one-room schoolhouse.

In 1934 the Shuck family moved from South Dakota to Corvallis, Ore. Dale's father changed occupations from farming to working in a lumber mill where Dale also worked as a young man prior to enlisting in the Marines in 1943.

In the military he was able to pursue interests in math and airborne electronics, and his duty time was spent training and teaching at various bases in the U.S. After being honorably discharged in 1946 with the rank of sergeant, he entered Oregon State College to study engineering on the GI Bill. It was during his studies that he met Ina Mae Eaton, and they were married on Aug. 5, 1949.

After graduating with an engineering degree in 1950, Dale held a series of jobs in Oregon, Washington and New Jersey before joining Boeing in Seattle in 1958. He worked in Boeing's government contracts division, mostly on high-security projects related to the aerospace industry such as the reusable shuttle, the Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar ("Dynamic Soarer"), and the AWACS airborne radar surveillance plane. Dale was responsible for the design and management of the communications systems on the AWACS.

Retiring from Boeing at the age 57, the Shucks moved to Issaquah, Wash., where they bought a 14-acre former mink farm with a holly orchard. They called it Shuck's Christmas Trees, although it took five years before the first trees Dale planted were mature enough to be harvested. While the farm didn't generate much income, Dale said he "enjoyed the Christmas spirit of selling U-cut Christmas trees and holly wreaths with Ina Mae."

In 1989 the couple sold the farm to follow their deepest passion-serving the Lord in missions. Dale had previously completed Moody Bible Institute correspondence courses and served on the boards of two of five churches they attended in the Issaquah area. But they also had a lifelong commitment to foreign missions in South America, Japan and China, and after selling the farm they joined HCJB Global.

The Shucks served as missionaries for five years as Dale managed the mission's international headquarters in Opa Locka, Fla. He was then asked to coordinate the relocation of the office to Colorado Springs, Colo., in 1992. Two years later the Shucks retired for a third and final time, moving to Bellevue, Wash., to care for Dale's aging mother.

Mission retiree Doug Peters, who had worked alongside Dale, said he played a key role in the mission's move to Colorado, calling him an "invaluable member" of the relocation committee. "Twenty years ago when the mission was exploring the possibility of relocating, Dale and I traveled to Colorado Springs and spent a week together as guests of the Economic Development Council, getting acquainted with the city, other Christian ministries and looking at possible facilities," Peters recounted. "When the decision was made to move to Colorado, Dale and Ina Mae assisted our staff, making it a very smooth transition. Dale, in his retirement years, had the experience and skills the mission needed and was available to help."

"Dale was my mentor," added Dick Jacquin, the former vice president of donor relations. "My wife, Pat, and I met him when we joined the mission in 1991 as I was taking over his position in Florida. As I traveled back and forth to our new location in Colorado, Dale and I shared some amazing times of work, prayer and play. He was a project manager by trade and at heart, making my job easy as we planned the move together."

Ron and Barb Cline during their visit with the Shucks in their retirement home in August.

Former HCJB Global President Ron Cline described Dale as a "volunteer servant who was open to anything asked of him. He brought some real class and years of corporate management experience to our leadership team."

Dale's interests also including woodworking, coin collecting, camping, hiking, bowling, golfing, skiing and following/investing in the stock market, a hobby that came in handy as he served on the mission's investment committee for a number of years. "His insights were helpful in establishing many important guidelines and maximizing investment opportunities for the ministry," Peters said.

In April 2011 the Shucks moved to a retirement complex in Issaquah. They did volunteer work at Crossroads Bible Church until Dale got sick in September 2012. He was diagnosed with acute leukemia in early October, and on Saturday, Oct. 27, he died peacefully in his home at the age of 87, his family by his side.

"Dale was a godly, gentle man, very easy to talk to and love," said Lucy Gray, accounts payable manager at the Ministry Service Center. "He was willing to do whatever needed to be done, even painting our new office building in Colorado Springs before the rest of the staff arrived."

David Kealy, who was in the same candidate orientation class as the Shucks, said he and his wife, Sharon, "became fast friends with Dale and Ina Mae. Dale was a Bible teacher, thoughtful manager and servant, always ready to lend a helping hand. He was a counselor, teacher and friend to all with an infectious laugh that went with a great sense of humor. We spent hours discussing investment strategies, and his wisdom was evident as he dropped valuable observations that have benefited me to this day. It would be a better world with more Dale Shucks."

In addition to his wife of 63 years, Dale is survived by three children, Craig, David and Marily, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. A burial service was held at Greenwood Memorial Park on Friday, Nov. 9, with a memorial service set for 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, at Crossroads Bible Church in Bellevue. The family has asked that memorial gifts in Dale's honor be made to HCJB Global.

Source: HCJB Global