Dale Burley, Sr.
MUNISING, MI/ MENOMINEE, MI- Dale R. Burley, Sr., age 75, of Menominee and formerly of Munising and Chatham, died at his home under the loving care of his family and UPHS Hospice on Monday, September 1, 2025.
He was born in Manistique on October 12, 1949 to the late Cecil and Annabelle (Monroe) Burley. Dale grew up in the Munising area and graduated from Wm. G. Mather High School in 1967. He joined the U.S. Army on October 24, 1967 and served in Vietnam. While stationed in Germany, he met Clarissa Upton, and together raised sons, Larry and Patrick. Dale was honorably discharged on October 14, 1970 and returned to the states.
He lived in the Milwaukee area and was a truck driver and manager of an apartment complex. Dale went to work for the U.S. Postal Service and retired from there. He met waitress, Karen Buck, and the two were married on July 1, 1989 and raised their children. Dale and Karen moved to Chatham in 2001 and enjoyed the slower pace of rural living. They moved to Menominee in 2015. Dale enjoyed being outdoors and meticulously cared for his lawn. He enjoyed hunting and fishing and began woodworking alongside his friend, Rodney Hollar. Karen preceded him in death on June 19, 2023. As Dale’s health declined, he enjoyed going out to lunch with his friend, Heather Norwood and spending time with his caretaker, Dominic Hendrix.
Dale is survived by children – Patrick (Sue Peirringer) Fath of Madison, WI, and Larry Upton of Watertown, WI, Brian Buck of Green Bay, WI, Dale (Amy Jo) Burley, Jr. of Green Bay, and Amy (Adam) Nuttall of Stephenson, MI; grandchildren Finnegan and Parker; siblings Fred (Pat) Burley, Gloria Semski, and Bob Burley; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents Cecil and Annabelle Burley, wife of almost thirty-four years Karen Burley, and siblings Ernest Burley, Clara ‘Punky’ Stimac, and Audra True.
Services will be held at the Bowerman Funeral Home in Munising on Friday, September 5, 2025. Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Vicar Elaine Robbins will conduct Dale’s funeral service at 1:00 p.m. in the funeral home’s chapel. Interment and military honors will be rendered at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Munising following the funeral service. A fellowship gathering will take place at the Munising Township Hall in Munising following the burial.
Dale’s obituary and tribute wall may be found at bowermanfuneralhome.net