Dale R. Rockey

Dale Robert Rockey was born on January 5, 1930 and passed away peacefully due to complications from a stroke on January 30th, 2024, just weeks after his 94th birthday.

He was the middle of three children, with an older brother, Fred, and a younger sister, Helen. His parents were Fred D. Rockey and Nell (Bromley) Rockey of Lynden, Washington.

Dale grew up in Lynden and graduated from Lynden High School in 1948. Dale’s father was a legendary and long-time coach of the Lynden High basketball team, leading them to multiple league championships.

He enlisted in the Navy for the Korean War in 1951 and served on a naval base in San Diego.

Dale was married to his wife of 66 years, Marilyn, in July 1958. They had two sons, Scott and Eric, and lost Scott in a tragic car accident in 1984.

He started his own surveying company, Construction Surveyors, which surveyed many of the San Juan Islands as well as many developments around Bellingham.

Dale loved his family, dogs, fishing, hunting and pulling pranks on his friends. He lived a long, full life out on Chuckanut Drive in Bellingham, where he and his wife Marilyn built their own house 64 years ago, with Marilyn living there still.

Dale is survived by his wife Marilyn, sister Helen, son Eric and son-in-law Sandi, niece Laura and nephews Curtis, Jay and Ross.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.