MELVERN, Kan. – Dale Lilly, 76, passed away Nov. 23, 2019, at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He was born Oct. 4, 1943, in Ottawa, Kan., the son of Warren W. and Dorothy (Sanderson) Lilly.
Dale graduated in 1961 from Melvern High School, Melvern, Kan. He served in the United States Navy 1965 to 1968. After completing basic training in San Diego, Dale served in the Naval Special Services at Pearl Harbor. While in Special Services, Dale was on the Navy basketball team. His SubPac Raiders basketball team participated in games throughout the United States and competed in the second and third Rainbow Classics in Honolulu, finishing second in 1966, losing to the University of California in the finals.
He earned his BSE from Kansas State Teachers College in 1969, MSE from Central Missouri State in 1974, and his EDS degree from the University of Kansas in 1986. Dale was an advocate of public-school education. He served as a secondary teacher and basketball coach, elementary principal, middle school principal, high school principal, and retired as a superintendent of schools at Osage City in 1988.
He was a member of the Melvern United Methodist Church, Melvern Masonic Lodge No. 22, and Osage City American Legion Post 198. Dale was an avid lover of the outdoors and enjoyed spending time with his family fishing, hunting, gardening, boating at the lake, and after retirement, moving back to the family farm.
On Dec. 24, 1965, Dale was married to Gonda Wyn Ingerson, in Las Vegas, Nev.
Dale was preceded in death by a daughter, Denise Lilly; a sister, Marlene Lilly; and his parents, Warren and Dorothy Lilly.
Dale is survived by his wife, Gonda, of the home; son, Steven Lilly and wife, Teresa, of McLouth, Kan.; daughter, Jennifer Romine and husband, Brett, Granbury, Texas; and five grandchildren, Tristyn, Maisyn, Jake, Stevie and Tyler.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27, at Melvern United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, at Feltner Funeral Chapel, Lyndon. Military and Masonic services will be held at Melvern Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Melvern United Methodist Church, or the Melvern Masonic Lodge No. 22, sent in care of Feltner Funeral Home, 818 Topeka Ave., Lyndon, KS 66451. Condolences may be left at feltnerfuneralhome.com.
