Dale Evan Bybee

On December 2, 2021, Dale Evan Bybee joined his wife of 64 years in the heavens. He passed peacefully in his sleep with family members at his side.

Dale was born on February 1st, 1932, in Pocatello, Idaho to Ellis and Lydia Bybee. As a youngster, he attended Roosevelt School and later Pocatello High School. It was at Roosevelt that Dale met his best friend, Skippy. It wasn’t actually at Roosevelt, but rather on his way home from Roosevelt. Skippy was a dog that followed Dale home from school one day and became his best friend. They were so close that one time when Dale’s dad was about to give him a spanking, Skippy stepped in and growled at Dale’s Dad, staving off the spanking.

After graduating from Pocatello High School in 1950, Dale went to work for Mountain States Telephone Company, which later became Mountain Bell. His employment was interrupted by him being drafted by the Army to serve in Korea. Dale served in the Sixth Army Area as a Pole Lineman and Cable Foreman. During his time in Korea, Dale earned many notable decorations, which were 3 Bronze Stars, 2 Korean Service Bronze Star Medals, and 1 United Nations Bronze Star Metal. Dale was Honorably Discharged from the Army in 1953.

After his military service, Dale met and married the love of his life, Reta LaNee’ Wilks. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Idaho Falls Temple on April 15th, 1955. They were married for 64 years until LaNee’s passing in 2019. Their marriage was blessed with 3 children: two boys, Dale Kirk and Bardel Gordon and one daughter, Jennifer Lyn.

Dale resumed employment with Mountain Bell, where he worked until retiring as an electrical engineer at the age of 55.

In his younger years, Dale was quite the athlete. He pitched in the local fastpitch softball league and could hit with power. He would routinely hit the ball out of the park. Not just the softball park, but all of Alameda Park! He was also a very good golfer, making a hole in one on several different occasions. As he got older, he also became an accomplished bowler. As was with golf and softball, he made several lifelong friends along the way.

Dale had many interests, one of which led him to start building ski boats. He started D & N Ski Boats and built the most beautiful (and fast) ski boats one had ever seen.

After retirement, his hobbies included making jewelry, belt buckles and knife handles out of the many antlers he had collected over the years as he was an avid hunter and outdoorsman.

His most favorite hobby however, was taking great care of his house and yard. Dale won many civic awards for the beautiful landscaping and meticulous grounds keeping of his property. There was never a single blade of grass out of place. During the Christmas season, he won several awards for his Christmas light displays that drew people from all around to view. It was truly a magical site. It was largely due to his decorations that his street was dubbed “Santa Claus Lane”. Visitors and their families would fill the street to view the spectacular displays.

Dale was a humble man that was very proud of his accomplishments, but was more proud of his family and their accomplishments. He could regularly be found at any event, sporting or otherwise, that involved one of his children or grandchildren.

Dale is survived by his two sons: Dale Kirk Bybee (Jeannie), Bardel Gordon Bybee (Nina), and his daughter Jennifer Lyn Stock (Kyle). He is also survived by his sisters Carole Richards and Joan Price, brothers-in-law Lynn Johns and Gordon Wilks, sister-in-law, Lea Rae Bybee, 13 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife Reta LaNee’, parents Ellis and Lydia Bybee, his father-in-law Gordon (Pete) Wilks, mother-in-law Lois Wilks, brother Jay A. Bybee, sisters Anita Faye Bybee and Catherine Ione Morgan, and granddaughter Christina Marie Bybee.

Funeral services will be held at 2 PM on Friday December 17, 2021, at Wilks Funeral Home, 211 W Chubbuck Rd in Chubbuck, ID. A viewing will be held one hour prior to services. Internment will take place at 11 AM on Saturday, December 18, 2021 at the Bloomington Cemetery in Bloomington, ID.

The Bybee family would like to express their gratitude to Heritage Home Health & Hospice for their loving care of Dale, specifically Dale’s nurses Lynell and Marian. Dale came to love them very much, as well as nurses Clint and Annie.

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