Dale LBarta. , of rural Burwell, Nebraska, passed away peacefully with family by his side on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at the age of 90.
Dale Leighton Barta was born July 31, 1934, to Ludvick and Leona (Fox) Barta in Sumner, Nebraska; the fifth of seven children. When Dale was a young child, he and his family moved to the Brewster area for a few years. In the late 1930’s, the family moved to a place south of Burwell. At the age 4, Dale began kindergarten at District 56, a small country school south of Burwell. He attended this school through his eighth-grade year, graduating at the age of 11. He would hunt on his way to and from school and was a little mischievous. He would tell stories of when he and his friend, Everett Combs, would play tricks on the schoolteacher.
Folldrove a truck in anowing his schooling, Dale raised many ducks, chickens and turkeys with his parents. He also began raising his own crops and put up hay for his horses and cattle. In the early 1950’s, he d out of a uranium plant in Utah and picked apples, peaches and blue plums in Colorado. He also worked at the Alfalfa Mill and Burwell Telephone Company.
Dale would enter Old Blue Skinny in the two-year-old horse race at Nebraska’s Big Rodeo and won many years on her. Dale and his brother, DeWayne participated in the Wild Horse Race at the rodeo.
Dale met the love of his life, Sherrill Brockman, at a dance in Almeria, Nebraska. On May 18, 1958, Dale and Sherrill were united in marriage at the First Congregational Church in Burwell, Nebraska. To this union, five daughters were born. Letitia, Linda, Tammy, Janette and Angela. Dale and Sherrill loved to dance and worked side by side building their family and home.
Dale liked horses, raising hogs and cattle, and hunting and fishing. Especially when he went hunting or fishing with his sons-in-law or grandkids. Attending horse races at Fonner Park and watching the Kentucky Derby were among his favorites. He enjoyed watching the guineas out his dining room window, especially if there was a squirrel nearby trying to get to the grain the guineas would peck at. Dale could watch out the big picture window and see the turkeys and deer that would cross his yard.
Survivors include his daughters and their spouses, Letitia and Ken Gompert, Linda and Carl Molesworth, Tammy and Randy Obermier, Janette and Clayton Gurney, and Angela and Rockie Hughes; twelve grandchildren, Matt (Katie) Gompert, Annie (Tan) Chaowalit, Chrissy (Nick) Cattau, Rod (Kristen) Molesworth, Brad Molesworth, Robert Molesworth, Tyler (Risa) Molesworth, Nichole (Micheal) Runge, Alex (Taylor) Obermier, Cole Gurney, Ashley (Lawrence) Ferris and Cody (McKenna) Gurney; twenty-three great-grandchildren with one great-grandchild on the way; and two sisters-in-law, Shirley Barta and Deanna Barta.
Dale was preceded in death by his parents, Ludvick and Leona Barta; his wife of 66 years, Sherrill; sisters and brothers-in-law, Evelyn & Clifford McBride, Lola & Vern McBride and Zonna Barta; brothers and sister-in-law, DeWayne, Melvin & Rita and Larry Barta; a nephew; nieces and parents-in-law, John and Louise Brockman.
Graveside Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at the Taylor Cemetery in Taylor, Nebraska. Pastor Alan Petersen will officiate. Memorials are suggested to 4 The Cure or the Family’s Choice. Still Waters Funeral Parlor is assisting with the arrangements. Online condolences can be left at www.stillwatersfuneralparlor.com
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