Dale Wayne Spilman

September 22, 1946 - December 19, 2015

Dale Wayne Spilman Jr., 69, of Mason City died Saturday, December 19, 2015 at the Veteran’s Hospital in Des Moines, IA after a long and courageous battle with cancer. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 am with a one hour prior visitation on Saturday, December 26, 2015 at Fullerton Funeral Home, 123 2nd St SE, Mason City. Reverend Ron Stein will be officiating. Full Military Honors will be provided by the Mason City Honor Guard. Interment will follow at Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery. Dale Wayne Spilman was born on September 22, 1946 to Dale Spilman Sr. and Audrey (Rhodes) Spilman in Mason City. He attended Thornton Elementary School and graduated from Meservey Thornton Consolidated School. He served his country in the Army from 1966-1968 and was stationed in Vietnam in the intelligence division. He then worked the family farm with his father. Wayne was united in marriage to Katherine Stevenson on September 15, 1969; the couple later divorced. To their union three daughters were born: Mary Ann, Wendy Jean and Betsy Kay. They lived in Clear Lake while he was employed with Lifetime Motor Homes, Mason City. The family then moved to Mason City. In 1974, he joined the Chicago North Western Railroad in the maintenance of way division. Wayne received an Associate of Arts Degree from NIACC in 1978. He retired in 2007 from the Union Pacific. Wayne resumed night classes at NIACC in 2008 in history. Some called him Dale, others know him as Wayne and he had many nicknames such as: Smokey, Smokey Joe, Swampie, and Swamp Fox. In his free time, he enjoyed reading books and watching movies. He was a comic book collector and especially liked Batman. Wayne frequented thrift stores and bought items for people that he thought they could use. He had many friends and hosted many family dinners. He will be remembered by his family as a generous person to others. He is survived by three daughters: Wendy (Chad Weaver) Honken of Mason City, Mary Ann (Tony) Behrens of Forest City, IA and Betsy (Jesse) Tibodeau of Nevada, IA; grandchildren: Nicole Rae (Josh) Loge, Ashley Elizabeth Walker, Colton Chase Tibodeau, Corey Allan Behrens, and Caitlyn Elizabeth Tibodeau; great-grandchildren Jayden Loge and Chanel Elizabeth; brother David Spilman of Clear Lake; sisters: Donita Spilman of Clear Lake, Virginia (Dan) Suby of West Gate, IA and Cynthia Spilman of Mason City, niece Holly and nephew Chris. He was preceded in death by his parents. Arrangements are with Fullerton Funeral Home, 123 2nd St SE, Mason City, IA 50401, 641-423-8676 www.Fullertonfh.com