Obituary

Dale Lee Childers, 70, of Owasso, Oklahoma, transitioned from this life on Friday, May 30th, 2025. He was born in Claremore, Oklahoma in 1954, to Owen & Verna Childers, who provided a modest lifestyle and instilled in Dale and his five siblings a strong work ethic and much-earned appreciation for the country their father fought for in World War II. He grew up in Choteau, Oklahoma and Tulsa, Oklahoma, and later attended Nathan Hale and East Central High Schools in Tulsa. After high school, he was briefly married, and though the relationship was only temporary, he had a son, Derek, for whom Dale became a fiercely loyal protector and beloved mentor. Dale first worked at Tulsa Brake & Clutch with his brother, Dennis, before starting his over 40-year career in the aircraft industry, including McDonnell Douglas, Lufthansa Technik, and Spirit Aerosystems, where he retired in 2023.

Dale met the love of his life, Marcia Lee Hill in 1976. One of Marcia’s friends was dating Dale’s friend, and upon perusing his friend’s college yearbook, Dale just had to know more about Marcia. They were introduced shortly after, and it was not too long before Marcia had done the impossible and tamed the motorcycle-riding bad boy. Excited to start their new lives together, the two were married in Bartlesville, Oklahoma in 1977.

They had their first son, Matthew, in 1982, and a second son, Cory, in 1985. In 1989, their family moved from a busy neighborhood by the infamous traffic circle in northeast Tulsa to a home they built in Owasso, Oklahoma. A coach at heart, and one who had previously coached football at Bell Junior High School in Tulsa, Dale especially loved his time coaching his youngest two sons in football and baseball, and became a well-known and respected member of the community as Future Owasso Rams football commissioner for many years. He became an active member of St. Henry’s Catholic Church, and was steadfast in his faith. He also went to Germany on a work trip for Lufthansa Technik once, and loved to tell (and retell) stories about it.

Though he loved coaching, riding and collecting motorcycles (with a passion for Harley Davidson), antiquing, guns, and always looking for that next great deal at estate sales and flea markets, perhaps Dale’s favorite roles were that as a parent and grandparent. He treasured his time with his three children and five grandchildren, and loved just being Dad and Grandpa, never failing to offer much-experienced advice and unwavering support, or a comforting joke, with a chuckle and signature smirk. Everyone who knew him knew he had a way of speaking that was often imitated, but never replicated.

His wife could not have asked for a better husband, his children could not have asked for a better parent, his grandchildren could not have asked for a better Grandpa, and his friends could not have asked for a better friend. He was a true original, and his memory will live on in the hearts of the many, many people whose lives he touched over the years.

Dale was preceded in death by his father, Owen Sr.; mother, Verna; and sisters, Zoegale and Connie. He is survived by his wife, Marcia; sons, Derek (Billie), Matthew (Jamie), and Cory (Krystal); grandchildren, Andra, Christian, Kaena, Ares, and Amethyst; brothers, Owen Jr. (Dee) and Dennis (Kathey); sister, Sharon (Monte), along with so many other family and friends.