Dale Alan Soberg, age 74, of Shakopee, MN, passed away peacefully on May 23, 2024 at his home. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 AM with a time of gathering from 9:30 – 10:45 AM on Thursday, May 30, 2024 at Trinity Church, 10658 210 th St W, Lakeville, MN. Pastor Jason Maloney will preside. A private family interment will be held at Meadow Ridge Memorial Park in Faribault on a later date.
Dale was born on August 6, 1949 to Einer and Dorothy (Anderson) Soberg in Duluth, MN. The second of five siblings, he grew up in Duluth and Austin, MN, which is where he graduated high school. Early on in life, Dale developed a passion for music for which he was awarded a scholarship to attend St. Olaf College in Northfield. He later transferred to the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, where he studied anthropology. While in school Dale had an opportunity to travel Europe for six months, working jobs and residing in many different places. When he returned, rather than finishing college, he began working various jobs around the Cities. He later went back to school and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. Dale worked numerous jobs over the years, but he was particularly proud of his career at Fireside Corner, starting in the warehouse and working his way into management and acting as VP of Operations until his retirement in the early 2000s.
Dale’s biggest passion was his music, starting a few different bands playing the piano and organ, including “Rockin’ Rosie Review,” and playing in small clubs and bars around town. While playing a gig in a small bar in Northfield, Dale’s music caught the attention of Patricia Tupper, and they were married 9 months later at Little Prairie United Methodist Church on June 9, 1973. Together they moved to Minneapolis in 1975 and were blessed with a daughter, Rebecca. After Beckie graduated, Dale and Patti moved to Maplewood, MN, where they would spend 19 years together before ending in Shakopee, where they have resided the past six years.
In 1987, Dale and Patti purchased a cabin near Brainerd and that became their true home. Every weekend was full of fishing, boating, swimming, and bonfires with friends and family. Dale loved to play his guitar around the fire and compete in all sorts of card and board games with his family, spouting off puns and making jokes whenever he could. Later in life, Dale and Patti resided more permanently at the cabin and “wintered” way down south in Shakopee.
Dale loved to spend time with his family and friends, including a close group that’s been connected since college. “The Oles” created beautiful memories taking annual trips, sharing many game nights together, and ringing in each New Year for decades. He was also very proud of his Scandinavian heritage and was big on upholding all of the family traditions with food, events, and holidays. Dale was an excellent cook, famous for his Italian meatballs and Hungarian Goulash. He also loved the traditional foods for each holiday – turkey, Swedish meatballs, lutefisk, and other Norwegian delicacies.
Dale had a special relationship with his grandchildren. In retirement, he was blessed to take care of his grandchildren while Beckie worked for a time. He always came with donuts (Kwik Trip Old Fashioned), and had “Diggers and Dozers” time, watching construction equipment and planes go by. He was known for his birthday poems and could be counted on to perform songs during holidays. His sense of humor couldn’t be topped and he was a well-educated, intellectual man, setting a strong example for his family.
Although Dale’s faith journey was long, he accepted Jesus as his savior this past March and proudly proclaimed his decision through baptism on Sunday, May 19, 2024. He is now at peace, fully restored both spiritually and physically, and home with Jesus in heaven.
Dale will be greatly missed by his loving wife, Patti Soberg; daughter, Rebecca (Sean) Starkey; grandchildren, Jack, Wesley, Elise, and Evelyn Starkey; siblings, Linda (Bob) Eger, Gary Soberg, Terrence Soberg, David (Terrie) Soberg; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, other family and friends.
He is reunited in heaven with his parents; mother- and father-in-law, Lloyd and Ethel Tupper; sister-in-law, Susan Soberg; and brother-in-law, Edwin Akey.
