LaVern Dale Packett passed away peacefully on December 12, 2024 at the Good Samaritan Center in Auburn, Nebraska at the age of 96 years. Dale went home to be with the Lord and his bride Elaine. LaVern Dale was born to Glen and Margaret (Magnall) Packett in Pawnee City, Nebraska on January 17, 1928. He attended school in Pawnee City and finished the 8th grade.

Dale was one of thirteen kids. His brothers were: Jim, Ed, Pat, Gary, Dave, and Danny and sisters were: Maxine, Mary, Doris, Jane, Margaret and Barb.

Dale was married to Elaine Margaret Pluta on November 27, 1947 in Tecumseh, NE and this union was blessed with ten kids: Linda, Bob, Steve, Randy, Ranae, Alan, Rick, Tammy, Cindy, and Lori. Dale and Elaine had 36 grandkids, 75 great-grandkids, and 45 great-great grandkids. That’s 156 descendants!

Dale worked at the missile base north of Tecumseh in his early years, at Campbell Soup Company for several decades as a maintenance man, and then for McDonald Electric in Tecumseh. Papa Dale was handy and could fix about anything. He was good at appliance repair and HVAC. Dale and Elaine were members of the St. Andrew Catholic Church in Tecumseh. Somewhere along the line, he was given the nickname “Charlie.” Most who knew him called him Dale or Charlie. He gave most grandkids some sort of nickname to help keep track of them.

Dale and Elaine would spend summer weekends in DeWitt with their good friends Jerry and Judy Dittmer. The gals would gossip I’m sure and the boys would run lines in the Big Blue River for catfish. Hobbies of Dale’s besides having kids were fishing, pitching horseshoes, playing cards, taking Elaine out to eat on Friday nights, watching baseball, and of course, teasing the grandkids and great-grandkids, and great-great grandkids. Dale always had a smile and was quick to help those in need. You never knew what was going to come out of his mouth. He was patient, kind and loved Grandma Elaine dearly, along with all of his family and friends. 

Dale is survived by his children: daughter Linda Christensen of Tecumseh; son Steve of Beattie, KS; daughter Ranae and husband Tom Othmer of Elk Creek; son Alan of Clatonia; son Rick of Tecumseh; daughter Tammy and husband Brad Meister of Wilber; daughter Cindy and husband Mike Trimmer of Tecumseh; and daughter Lori and husband Jim Parrish of Tecumseh; brother Ed of Springfield; brother Pat of Falls City; sister Doris of Topeka, KS; and brother Danny of Filley, along with many nieces, nephews, grandkids and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Jim, Gary, and Dave; sisters Maxine, Mary, Margaret, Barb, and Jane; wife Elaine of 63 years; sons Bob and Randy; grandsons Johnny Packett, Joey Packett, Scott Meister, Randy Packett Jr., and Jeremy Othmer, great-grandson Chance Graham; brothers-in-law Herman Pluta, Ronnie Pluta and Melvin Johnson and sisters-in-law Francis Pluta, Jeannie Johnson, and Kay Pluta.

A Celebration of Life will be held from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. Sunday, April 6, 2025 at the Tecumseh Firehall in Tecumseh, Nebraska. 

Private family inurnment will be in the St. Andrew Catholic Cemetery, Tecumseh, Nebraska.  Honorary pallbearers will be all Dale's grandkids, great-grandkids, and great-great grandkids.

Memorials may go to the family’s choice.

Services are entrusted to Wherry Mortuary, Tecumseh.

Online condolences may be left @ www.wherrymortuary.com.