DALE EDWARD SMITH - age 85, of Pocahontas, Iowa passed away on November 8, 2021 at Arlington Place in Pocahontas. Dale Edward Smith was born on February 10, 1936 to Robert Carlton Smith and Mary Ellen (Baron) Smith in Atlantic, Iowa. In 1940, the Robert Smith family moved to Pocahontas to open Smith's Super Market. During high school, Dale played football for the Pocahontas Indians as a center. Dale's high school nickname was "Bughouse"... a quote from his senior year book read "in every deed of mischief, he gave a helping hand" Dale graduated from Pocahontas High School in 1955. On June 16, 1957, Dale Smith and Waneeta "Dee" Bergstrom were united in marriage at the Trinity Lutheran Church in the old town of Rusk, Grant Township, Pocahontas County.

On January 1, 1957, Robert and Dale Smith purchased Pocahontas Dairy "your home-town dairy" - delivering milk to local residents' door steps (farm pick up/Grade A bulk milk). The Pocahontas Dairy slogans were "from moo to you in an hour or two" and "the milk by which Pocahontas grows". The Dairy sold many products including decorated square ice cream slices for special occasions.  The Ice Cream Belle cart went door to door selling fudgesicles, popsicles, ice cream sandwiches, and half gallon ice cream. In 1962, Dale purchased a purple and white fiberglass dairy cow that was placed on display at the Dairy. In 1967, Dale also bought a large black fiberglass gorilla and placed it in a tree with a slogan that read "You'll just go APE over our ice cream too - Pocahontas Dairy." On September 1, 1968, Dale and Dee sold Pocahontas Dairy (milk operation only) to Wells Dairy Company. Dee's and Dale's Dairy Freeze aka the Purple Cow was launched.  They continued to sell dairy products along with opening a dairy-queen type restaurant selling burgers, tenderloins, pizza burgers, chili dogs, fries, and milkshakes from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. Each week Dale would make a new flavor of soft-serve ice cream.  The Purple Cow's phone # was simply 776. In the summer of 1972, the Smiths opened a miniature golf course next to the Purple Cow.  In 1974, the Smiths sold the Dairy Freeze to Denny and Linda Olson.

On July 25, 1968 Dale happened to be in the Commercial State Bank in Pocahontas during Poky's first ever bank robbery.  Dale along with other customers and bank employees were told to place their hands behind their heads, then ordered to walk into the bank vault, and told to close the vault door with instructions that the first one out would get shot! Dale loved telling that story.

In 1970, Dale graduated from the Reisch College of Auctioneering in Mason City, IA. When Dale first started his auctioneer career, he spoke highly of his mentor, Lyle Erickson of Cresco. From 1975 through 1989, Dale Smith and Bob Winegarden had an auctioneering business together named Smith & Winegarden Auctioneers. Dale had held several offices in the Iowa Auctioneer Association (IAA): 10 years as IAA Board of Directors, 1976 bid-calling champion, 1979-80 elected president of IAA, 1990 Auctioneer Man of the Year. Dale's favorite auctions were those that included gas engines and old tractors. Dale was referred to as "the one-lunger auctioneer" Dale was a member of the National and State Auctioneers Associations. In 1971, Dale received his real estate license and in 1972 began working as a sales associate with Burns-Fitzgerald Realtors in Pocahontas. Dale's slogan was "we sell the earth and everything on it" Dale was a member of the National and State Realtors Associations. In 1977, Dale was president of the Cornland Board of Realtors. In 1994, Dale was elected to membership in the Realtors Land Institute (RLI) and was a member of the United Counties Board of Realtors.

On March 31, 1997 Dale was the Roastee for the annual Rialto Theatre fundraiser.  Dale was always willing to use his auctioneering talents to help raise money for local community events.

In 1997, Dale was elected to Pocahontas County Board of Supervisors for District 3 and served on the Pocahontas County Compensation Board. He served in that position until 2001.

Dale served on the Pocahontas Park Board, as Rotary vice president, and was a volunteer for the Pocahontas Fire Department.

Dale was a member of the United Methodist Church.

In retirement, Dale enjoyed woodworking, restoring antiques, growing giant basket gourds and varieties of colorful roses. During Heritage Days, Dale enjoyed driving down main street on his restored tractors. One of Dale's personal accomplishments was that he and Dee traveled to all 50 states. He especially loved spending time with his children and grandchildren. His grandchildren loved ringing the big brass church bell that sat on the front patio of the Smith home.

Dale is survived by his wife, Waneeta Rose Smith, Pocahontas; children, Brenda (Steve) Reeder, Encinitas, CA, Kyle (Jane) Smith, Pocahontas IA, and Dalene Smith, Dunedin, FL; grandchildren, Emily Rose Reeder (Matthew) Schiller, Anna Reeder, Stephanie Webbink, Daniel Smith, Jeremy Smith, Jessica Smith, and Susie Smith; great grandchildren, Waylon Webbink, Gabriel Schiller. Dale is preceded in death by: daughter Diana Denise Smith; parents Robert and Mary Smith; siblings Robert A. Smith, Jr. and Garnette A. Anderson.