Dale Eugene Crall

I would like to be remembered as walking with God...

Obituary

Dale Eugene Crall, 89, long-standing retired resident of Holmes Beach, Anna Maria Island, Florida, passed away peacefully in his own home early morning of Monday, January 5, 2026. Family members provided onsite comfort support with Affinity Hospice Care of Sarasota-Manatee.

Born in Midland, Michigan, Dale was the third of seven children of Maurice and Dorothy (Tucker) Crall.  By the age of 13, Dale was selling newspapers and candy at the employee clock-in entrance to Dow Chemical Company.  With a strong work ethic, Dale worked and went to school year-round, purchasing his own scooter and eventually buying the family car. By 1955, after graduating from high school,  Dale enlisted in the Navy Reserves. He served honorably aboard ship as a storekeeper for two years of active duty on Pacific fleet deployments. 

By 1959, Dale had married Janice Louise (Sterling) Crall, started a family(1958-Carrie Lou Crall; and 1959-Michael David Crall), and graduated from Bay City Junior College. He immediately began working at Dow Chemical Company as a computer operator. Dale also had a calling for the ministry, and he moved his young family down to Kankakee, IL to attend Olivet Nazarene College, now University. He was able to get work again as a computer operator with the George Roper Corporation. In 1961, Dale graduated with his undergraduate degree from Olivet, going on to complete his training as an ordained minister in Kansas City, MO.  While in Kansas City, the young family grew to five with the birth of Thomas Lee Crall(1961). Dale also became one of the first people trained in IBM systems through Traders National Bank (1961-65). He moved up at Traders from computer operator to shift supervisor, and ultimately qualified as a programmer.

Dale served as the inaugural pastor of West Church of the Nazarene in Grand Rapids, MI from 1965-66. From there, he went on to work with Lear Siegler Corporation, and then-prestigious Seidman & Seidman CPA firm as both a computer manager and consultant. He represented the firm at the first AICPA conference, and supported the company’s sponsorship of the Accountant’s Computer User Technical Exchange Conference held in New Orleans (1967-69).  Ultimately, Dale would move his growing family to Pennsylvania, first working for Pennsylvania House Furniture (Director of Data Processing), and then settling into a civil servant career with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation in Harrisburg. 

Over the next 20 years, Dale became the Special Assistant to the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, with a key role in the Department’s Operations Review Group. Dale became an expert speaker at various high-level transportation conferences, including for the Transportation Research Board (Washington, DC), AASTHO Highway Maintenance Management (Las Vegas, NV), and the Highway Engineer Exchange Program(New Brunswick, Canada). Between 1987 and 1991, Dale served as PennDOT’s Chief of Fiscal Systems in the Bureau of Highway Construction. 

In 1991, he retired so that he and his wife Janice could spend their retirement years on the Gulf waters of Anna Maria Island. Dale continued to work in accounting and tax preparation with a variety of clients on the island. He performed audits for labor union locals and developed internal audit programs for both profit and non-profit organizations on Anna Maria. Janice passed in 2015. Four years later, in 2019, Dale decided to move to Freedom Village of Bradenton to live out his remaining years.

Dale was known for his pun-filled humor, his original poems about loved ones and friends, his undying love of sports, particularly of Penn State football, and his daily greeting when asked how he was doing:  “Why, if I was any better I couldn’t stand it – and I hope you’re the same!”

Dale is survived by daughter Carrie L. Williams and son Michael D. Crall; sister Nancy Bauerle of Midland MI; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.  He is also survived by 12 grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren. 

His grandchildren include: retired U.S. Navy Master Chief James F.M Williams I(Smithfield, VA); Victoria L. Gordon(Jacksonville, FL); Lillian D. Broughton(Decatur, GA); active duty U.S. Navy Senior Chief Remle R. Williams(S.E. region); Chandale L. Williams(Fayetteville, GA); Rezina A. Peterson(Newport News, VA); Allison J. Laymond(Houston, TX); Ashley C. Williams(Newport News, VA); Ruby A. Terry(Newport News, VA); Aleyna C. Fisher (Hampton, VA); Crystal L. Robinson(Hampton, VA); and Cecely B. Character(Decatur, GA).

Dale was predeceased by his parents, his infant siblings Karen and Sally Crall, his son Thomas L. Crall, his brothers Maurice Crall Jr. and Darrell Dean Crall, his sister Darlene Schuff, his sister-in-law June Crall, and his wife Janice L. Crall.

A memorial service is being held in the historic Chapel at the Roser Memorial Community Church (512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, FL 34216) on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026 at 11:30am.  A Navy Honor Team out of Jacksonville, FL will provide military honors recognition.

In lieu of flowers, please send loving contributions to the Dale E Crall Memorial Fund with Hancock Whitney Bank in Bradenton, Florida.  You can also send your contributions through Venmo (Dale E Crall Memorial Fund@daleecrallmemorialfund) or CashApp($DaleECrallMemorial) to contribute to his memorial and legacy. Contact email:  daleecrallmemorialfund@gmail.com

Timeline

Gallery

Memory wall

Family tree

‹

›

‹

›

‹

›

Dale Crall

Favorites

Service