Dale Vandonsel

Dale Joseph Van Donsel, Captain, United States Public Health Service, Retired, 77, died on December 27, 2011 at Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton of cancer. He was born in Green Bay, WI on June 24, 1934 to Clarence and Myrtle (Orde) Van Donsel. He married Darlene Le Sage in Green Bay on May 3, 1958.  He attended St. Peter and Paul Grade School and Central Catholic High School in Green Bay. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Norbert College in DePere, WI and a Master of Public Health from the University of Minnesota. After serving in the US Army, Dale worked for the FDA in Chicago. He then joined the US Public Health Service as a commissioned officer. He was stationed as a bacteriologist and virologist in Fairbanks, AK and Cincinnati, OH. Much of his published research in those fields is still referred to today within the scientific community. After retiring Dale and Darlene moved to Silverdale, WA. Dale enjoyed a second career with the WA State Department of Ecology in Manchester, WA. He enjoyed fishing, reading, Sunday New York Times crossword puzzles, gardening and genealogy. On their 50th wedding anniversary, Dale, Darlene and family made a trip to Belgium to visit their ancestral homeland. Dale and Darlene enjoyed traveling, visiting casinos and playing Monkey Dice together. Dale’s sense of humor, great laugh, intellect, willingness to help others and love of family will be dearly missed.  He is survived by his wife Darlene (Le Sage) Van Donsel; son James Van Donsel (Barbara Marriott) of Waltham, MA; daughter Terese Van Donsel (Carlos Gonzalez) of Mundelein, IL; daughter Susan Bartlett (Alan) of Mukilteo, WA; brother Peter Van Donsel (Kathie) of Green Bay, WI; sister Linda Numan of Pulaski, WI; sister-in-law Marilyn Frosch (Ron) of Green Bay, WI; sister-in-law Norma Le Sage of Green Bay, WI and 5 grandchildren Elena and Allison Gonzalez, Sarah and Amelia Van Donsel and Thomas Bartlett. He was preceded in death by his sister Carol Gruetzmacher.  The family would like to extend their thanks to the doctors and nurses of the Oncology floor at Harrison Medical Center of Bremerton and the staff at LifeCare Center of Port Orchard for the wonderful care and support they gave to Dale.  Services to be held in Green Bay at a later date.