Dale Michael Saunders Obituary

Dale Michael Saunders attended Newaygo High School in Newaygo, MI. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Dale Michael Saunders.

Graduation Year	Class of 1968
Date of Passing	Mar 15, 1980
About	Dale attended Newaygo school from kindergarden to graduation in 1968. He along with many others entered the military soon after graduation. Dale toured Viet Nam, serving in the Army as a medic. He tried for the paratroopers, but the poison ivy he kept landing into ended that quest! After getting wounded in the leg ~in 4 places~ Dale recieved the purple heart. Dale was married to his high school buddy's sister. They divorced after a few yrs and Dale never re-married or had any children. Dale's brother in law Ron May, owned and operated Crop Care in Grant. This was an aerial cropdusting company that sprayed for most of the area's farmers. Ron and Dale started an airplane parts section of the business which Dale would head up. The eve of picking up his business cards, Dale was killed. While spending time with various family and friends at the Croton Driftwood Inn, Dale was shot and died almost immediately. He took the bullet for the intended victim. His faithful companion "Patches" waited in the truck. This man that everyone admired gave his life for a friend. This is not the first man he has saved. He would not call himself a hero, nor would he take any kind of credit for any of the lives he has saved in his short 29 years of life. Nevertheless, he is my hero and always will be. This gentle giant was a mastermind of new words and poems,builder,chess player, medic, wind surfer, gardener, soldier, diver, commedian, Dad to his dog Patches, mechanic, parachuter, nut, pilot, bible reader, elderly visitor,farmer, hillbilly, loaner, animal lover, hippy, son, brother, friend, and classmate. I hope you all remember him with great admiration.