Dale Koski

PAID OBITUARY

Dale Benhart Koski, age 80, of Silver City, Mich, passed away from Alzheimer's-related complications on Friday, May 10, at Bayside Village in L'Anse, with his wife Eileen holding his hand.
Dale was born Oct. 20, 1938, to Eino and Mabel (Nuquist) Koski in Ontonagon, Mich.  
He grew up in White Pine and Silver City. He attended schools in White Pine, Green and Ontonagon.
Dale served in the U.S. Marines from 1957 until 1959.
He lived in Escanaba from 1971 to 1984 and in Port Washington until  2006, when he moved to the family home in Silver City with his wife Eileen.
Dale was involved with union work from 1959 until his retirement in 1999. During this time, he completed two years at Michigan Tech studying to be an electronics technician. Then he attended Wayne State University, studying business law, which evolved into being a business agent for Local 324 in Michigan  from  1971 to 1984, Local 139 in Wisconsin from 1986 to 1991 and Local 150 in Illinois from 1991 to 1999. His final accomplishment was negotiating the Great Lakes  Floating Agreement from  Duluth, Minn., to Massena,  N.Y., including the tributaries of the St. Lawrence  Seaway.
Since Dale's 1999 retirement, he traveled to China, and with Eileen to Cuba, Finland, Sweden, Denmark  and  Norway. After purchasing a motor  home in 2004, they became snowbirds during the winters until 2016. On one of those trips, they got married in Florida on 2-14-14.
During the summers,  they drove the northern routes, including the Lake Superior tour, and visited many national parks from Glacier National Park in Montanna to Acadia National Park in Maine. During 14 years of traveling, they visited 45 national parks and monuments. They also loved New York City, spending a week there each fall for 11 years.
One of Dale's rewarding  accomplishments  in 1984 was saving the deteriorating arch from the Italian Hall. Since 2009, it has been part of the Keweenaw National Park in Calumet.
Dale was also responsible for building the athletic field and running track with volunteer labor and apprenticeship training equipment at  Ontonagon Area  High School in Ontonagon, Mich.
Dale was a  member of Ozaukee Masonic  Lodge  #0017 in Port Washington, Shriners International and National Sojourners Milwaukee  Chapter  #27, Escanaba MCL  #444, First Marine Division of Greater Milwaukee, American Legion   Nonesuch Post 462 White Pine, Elks Lodge #354 Escanaba, Finnish American Society of Milwaukee   & Little Finland WI, Ontonagon County Historical Society, Ontonagon County  Democrats and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ontonagon.
Dale is survived by his wife Eileen Holmstrom; daughter Deanna (Paul) Scofield; granddaughter Rachel (Brian) Nowicki; grandsons Trevor Pestka, Josh Colclasure and Jacob Colclasure; great-grandchildren Izaiah Koski and Jaimisen Koski; brother Gilbert (Diane) Koski; sisters Sigrid (Philip) Kolehmainen and Kariina (Paul) Kelson; sister-in-law Diane (Ernest) Koski; special nephew Philip (Robin) Kolehmainen and niece Jill (Jeff) Senkerik and their children; stepchildren Sue Britz and Ray Dishaw and Eric and Brad Holmstrom;    nephews   Aaron Kolehmainen   and Adam  Guernsey; and Niece Jena Guernsey.
In addition to his parents, Dale was preceded in death by his daughter Debra Koski, son Rodney Koski and brother Ernest Koski.
Funeral services will be at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ontonagon on Saturday, May 18 at 1 p.m., with visitation from noon to 1 p.m.
Lunch will be served at Paul's Supper Club in Silver City following the service.
Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery at a later date with military honors.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Cane Funeral Home.
Donations can be sent to the Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, D.C. 20090-6011 or a charity of your choice.