‘Dale’ Nebeker

Formerly of Baker City, 1939-2021

John “Dale” Nebeker, 82, formerly of Baker City, went to heaven on Nov. 17, 2021.

A graveside funeral will take place in the spring.

Dale was born in on Nov. 8, 1939, in Baker to Merna and Edwin Nebeker and was raised there until joining the Navy. Upon returning from the Navy he married Bertha Moore and they had five children.

Dale had many interests. He joined the Jaycees in his younger years and performed in melodramas as the hero. You would always finding him sharing a joke with his friends. His grandchildren have found memories taking trips with him singing to the radio.

His career span varied from a barber to law enforcement as police officer and then onto a parole and probation officer. But his true desire was to barber because he enjoyed working around people.

One of his greatest career achievements was capturing two escaped convicts from the Utah State Prison by himself. He was working for the Burley, Idaho, city police department at the time of their escape.

He would later divorce and remarried his high school sweetheart, Daralee Long. They shared many adventures through the years traveling in their motorhome. They took cruises and saw places that neither of them had never been before.

The greatest joy in Dale’s life was his five children; there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for them. He was proud of all of their accomplishments and was always sharing them with other people he knew.

Dale is survived by his children: Lynda Reynolds of La Pine, Debra James of Casa Grande, Arizona, Shauna Phillips of Peoria, Arizona, Shawn Nebeker of Casa Grande, and Merna Bennett of Caldwell, Idaho; his brother, Bryson DeVear Nebeker of Overland Park, Missouri; and many grand children and great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Merna and Edwin Nebeker; his sisters, Betty Nebeker and Lee Montoya; his nephews, Bill and Danny Best; and his granddaughter, Jennifer Brown.