Great Uncle Dale Chetister

I didn't know my Great uncle Dale, son of Leta, brother of my paternal grandmother Vivian very well. I only talked to him and my Great Aunt Kate in passing—at family gatherings or an occasional chance meeting at my grandparents’ home. I don’t recall ever having been to their house. In fact, I always felt like it was miles and miles away, even though it was only in Rossford, Ohio, just on the other side of East Toledo, past the I75 South onramp, along the Maumee River.

Dale Louis Chetister was born to Leta and Ralph Chetister on October 13, 1916. He was nearly three years younger than my grandmother, the second and last child of both of my great-grandparents. When his parents divorced on November 8, 1922, he was barely six years old and lived with his mother and stepfather Albert Mohr.

On June 4, 1927, when he was ten years old, he was the only witness of the murder of his stepfather by Fred Valentine. He even chased the assailant down the street, shouting to draw attention, and helping to catch the man.

When he was approximately twelve years old, in 1929, he and Vivian moved in with their father Ralph, who lived with his parents. On October 18, 1929, Ralph married Eunice (Tinkle) Powers. Dale graduated from Waite High School in 1934. He mostly lived with his father, stepmother and grandparents until he married.

On July 17, 1935, he began a short service in the U.S. Navy, being discharged on January 9, 1936. Some time between 1936 and 1942, he started to work at Spicer Manufacturing, referred by his stepfather Robert Fields.

He converted to Roman Catholicism and subsequently married Kathryn Peer on January 23, 1942, settling in Rossford, Ohio. Kathryn was born on November 3, 1918 in Rossford, Ohio to John and Julia Peer. Her parents were immigrants from Slovakia. She was the sixth of 10 children.

Dale and Kate had four children: Constance Marie (April 18, 1943), Duane Louis, called Sonny (April 19, 1944), Christine Ann (October 6, 1947) and Alan Louis (December 16, 1950). Sadly, Sonny died on November 21, 1948 at age four, and Christine died on May 21, 1975 at age 27.

Dale Chetister worked at Spicer, which became Dana Corp. until his retirement. He died on July 28, 1998, at age 81. Kathryn died on May 20, 2010, at age 91.