Dale Foreman

Published 12:00 am Thursday, September 11, 2008

Mr. Dale James Foreman, 77, died Tues., Sept. 9, 2008, at his residence. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. today, Thurs., Sept. 11, 2008, at Liberty Congregational Church with the Rev. Robert Foreman officiating. Interment will follow in Liberty Church Cemetery with Foreman Brown-Service Funeral Home directing. Visitation for Mr. Foreman will be held 30 minutes prior to services at the church.
Mr. Foreman was born in Chicago, Ill., on April 28, 1931, during the height of the Great Depression. Descending from Irish and German immigrants, he was the eldest of six children.
At age 17, he joined the military and served in the Korean War. While Stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., he served with the Strategic Air Command (SAC). He received The Air Force Commendation Medal for his outstanding achievement as a noncommissioned officer in charge of the 821st Civil Engineering Squadron. Additionally, he was recognized for his outstanding service with the 28th/484th Bombardment Wing, supporting B-52 bombers flying from Guam during the Vietnam War. In 1968, he retired as a senior master sergeant from the United States Air Force after 20 years of honorable service.
He went on to a distinguished and long career that included maintenance superintendent for the Champaign Park District in Champaign, Ill., and chief park ranger of land development and management in the Shelbyville Reservoir, Illinois Department of Conservation. In later years, he served as a rural mail carrier and postal worker for the United States Postal Service in Crenshaw County, Ala. During that period, he served as a licensed minister at New Hope Congregational Church in Clio, Ala., and provided ministerial services in southern Alabama.
On January 30, 1951, he married June Bell of Dozier. Following the loss of an infant son, he raised two sons and a daughter. In turn, his children gave him six grandchildren. Dale loved hard work, the outdoors, playing, fireworks and his family.
He is preceded in death by his parents Leo and Kathryn (Smalley) Foreman, and his brothers. Donald and Robert Foreman.
He is survived by his wife, June Foreman; his children, Chris Wilson, Robert Foreman and Tom Foreman; his daughters-in-law, Beth Foreman and Linda Foreman; his grandsons, Adam Bess (and his wife, Jennifer), David Bess and Rob Foreman; his granddaughters, Sarah Foreman, Veronica Foreman and Alison Foreman; his brother, Leo Foreman; and his sisters, Darlene Frost and Kathryn Grimes. Pallbearers will be Adam Bess, David Bess, Rob Foreman, James Price, Russell Price, and Andrew Meadows.
Liberty Congregational Church is located on Crenshaw County Road 15 (Lester Bell Road), 2.5 miles north of Alabama Highway 29 between Brantley and Dozier.
Friends and family unable to attend services may sign an online guest register at www.foremanfuneralhome.com.