Dale Robert Loken

Dale Robert Loken, age 86, passed away on Saturday July 4, 2026, at Prairie Meadows Senior Living in Kasson, MN.

Dale was born on June 2, 1940, to Ole and Nina (Moe) Loken in Waseca County. Dale started his education with a one room schoolhouse in rural Lemond township on County Road 7, then transferred to New Richland High School to graduate in 1958. He did not stop with his education there. Dale went on to take many classes in business and agricultural finance.

In 1962, Dale was introduced to his love of his life, Colleen Dassenko at his cousin’s wedding. Dale and Colleen had a wonderful courtship, which involved his future in-laws serving him a piece of blackberry pie at their first-time meeting, which had a black bug in it. Of course, it was the only slice that did! That did not slow down the two lovebirds, they were married on August 12, 1962, and settled in Lemond Township to begin their own legacy of farming and their starting family.

Dale was very proud of his ability to read the crop markets and purchase equipment with minimal overhead. Dale would often share stories on how the local banks would be impressed when he would present cash flow data sheets to purchase land, or larger implements in the early years. Dale and Colleen were a team with farming and with all projects. Dale treated farming a business, before it was considered one. He was one of the first farmers in the area to incorporate technology with record keeping and automatic fuel refill management system. He worked on his first-generation computer for many hours self-teaching formulas to use in the “Quattro” spreadsheet program.

Dale worked for 33 years at Owatonna Tool Company, which is now Bosch of Owatonna. Due to restructuring of the OTC, he was given the opportunity to retire in 1992, which allowed him to become a full-time farmer for the first time in his life. Dale served on the Lemond township board, Planning and Zoning, Hometown Credit Union board, and several other community boards over the years.

Dale sold his livestock when Colleen retired from the Hometown Credit Union in January 2004. This allowed them the freedom to start traveling south for the winters. They wintered in Arizona and Texas with their 5th wheel camper (which Colleen traded for a larger travel trailer every few years). In 2009, they bought a home in Alamo, Texas, which they enjoyed yearly from November to April. But, unfortunately due to Colleen’s decline in health in 2018, they could no longer make the trek.

Dale and Colleen were avid travelers. They have traveled to Germany, Alaska and Caribbean cruises, bus trips all over the US, and not to mention all the trips with the pop-up pull behind camper with their young family with them in the red truck with topper. In their later years, they were able to take a trip to Maldova to be near Colleen’s father’s birthplace.

In 2014, they moved to Owatonna from the farm. They lived there happily until Colleen’s illness took her away too early from Dale in October 2020. They lived a love story of 58 years.

Dale was involved with male singing groups, Men of A Chord in Texas and notably, Just Friends, here in New Richland. This group of retired and nearly retired Friends went around to many local venues to sing. As dementia was starting to take its hold on Dale’s memories, these men were Dale’s lifeline to normality. A Special Thank You goes out to all the men from Just Friends for keeping Dale active with their group and including him with their outings.

Dale is survived by his children, Brian Loken (Tracy Spinler) of Medford, Joan (John) Maxwell of Donahue, IA, Jennifer (Jeff) Therring of Hayfield; six grandchildren, Ashley (Jesse) Osmundson of Owatonna, Heather (Dustin) Hale of Owatonna, Katie (Jake) Riffe of Owatonna, Whitney Kyllo of Faribault, MN, Miranda (Joe) Mizuar of Maquoketa, IA, Joshua Therring of Hayfield, and Jaelynn Therring of Madison, WI. But Dale was most proud of being a “great” great grandpa, (because he never knew his great grandpa, he would say) to Clara and Wyatt Osmundson, Morgan and Hunter Hale, Garrett and Reagan Riffe, Mason and Aubrey Kyllo, Everett, Jett and Louella Mizuar. Dale is also survived by his siblings, Donald Loken of Owatonna; brother-in-law, Dave Ronken of Otesgo, LeAnn (Marc) McMullen of Andover and many more nieces and nephews.

Dale was preceded in death by his parents, Ole and Nina Loken; brother, Norman Loken; sister-in-law, Janet Loken Jensen; son in law, Gary Richards; his beloved wife, Colleen; sister-in-law, Janet Loken, and sister, Carol Ronken.

The family ask that in leu of memorials or flowers, please consider donating to Alzheimer’s research or to Dementia research of your choice.

Arrangements are pending with Czaplewski Family Funeral Homes in Kasson, MN.