Kokomo, IN - Dale Edward Etherington, 93, of Kokomo, flew his final flight plan Tuesday July 8, 2025. He departed from Glenndale Airport and his destination is Heaven. He was born July 14, 1931, the son of Glenn and Edith (Simpson) Etherington. On June 3, 1951, he married Althea Kinney, and she preceded him in death on November 19, 2017.

Dale was in the first graduating class of Western High School in 1949. He proudly served in the United States Army and was stationed in Germany. He went into the Indiana National Guard and served as a Mess Sargeant until his retirement. Dale worked for Chrysler Corp. straight out of high school. He started as a foreman and later retired out of the garage in 1978 after 31 years of service. He drove a school bus at Western for 20 years and was a Crop Adjustor. He was partners in a car lot on US-31 where he traded for airplanes.

Dale had taken flying lessons right out of school but quit when he went into the Army. He was a member of EAA, AOPA, and Kokomo Pilot Club. In 1965, after the Palm Sunday tornado, his father's farm was devastated. This allowed the designing a runway and establishing Glenndale Airport in Kokomo.

He loved all things trains, planes, and automobiles. He was a charter member of the Pioneer Auto Club where he had several antique cars. He had two Elwood Haynes cars that were built in Kokomo. He was a lifetime member of United Methodist Church.

He is survived by his two daughters, Dawn Brier, Sheila (Bruce "Taf") Taflinger; grandchildren, Kolton (Christine) Smith, Dale Brier, Mike Brier, Jeff Brier, Travis and Lisa Taflinger, Brooke and Jaime Garcia, Chad and Angela Taflinger, and Romeo Garcia; great-grandchildren, Caleb, Micah, Max, Marshall, Landen, Addalee, Kaylen, Kyler, Cadence, Austen, Kristelyn; great-great-grandchildren, Zane Charlie, Myles, Jessalynn, Theo.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Althea Etherington; son-in-law, Charles Brier; parents, Glenn and Edith Etherington; mother and father-in-law, Dorothy and Rupert Kinney; brother, B. Dean Etherington.

Friends are invited to visit with the family from 2 to 5 pm Sunday July 13, 2025, at Stout & Son Funeral Home - Russiaville Chapel, 200 E. Main St., Russiaville, IN 46979. A funeral service celebrating Dale's life will begin 11 am Monday July 14, 2025, at the funeral home with Bruce Taflinger and Travis Taflinger officiating. Friends are invited to visit with the family an hour prior to the start of the funeral on Monday. Military honors will be provided by the United States Army and the Kokomo VFW Military Rites Team. A burial will be held in Sunset Memory Gardens at a later date. Contributions may be made in Dale's memory to Bridges Outreach, https://share.google/Q6S5mmwm3Bbyyngaz.