Dale Benjamin LeGarie, 86, of Houghton Lake passed away on Tuesday November 14, 2017 at King Nursing and Rehabilitation Community.

Dale was born on October 25, 1931 in Saginaw, Michigan to Benjamin and Pearl (Pringle) LeGarie. Dale grew up in the Saginaw area graduating from Saginaw Arthur Hill High School. While in High School he met a girl from Saginaw High by the name of Yetive R. Daunlee and the couple married in Saginaw on April 14, 1951. Dale started out his working career as an insurance agent for Metlife, Manager of Bowl-o-Mat in Saginaw, manager of Bowl-o-Mat in Des Moines, Iowa and then moved to Houghton Lake in 1965 to manage the Northway Lanes. In 1968 he became executive director of One Cap Government Program, and retired as the director of HUD in Roscommon County in 1996. Dale and his family also owned and operated Northway Lanes in Houghton Lake from 1984 until 2009. Dale was appointed to the Governor's Staff at the Department of Labor in 1972 as the Career Development Specialist for North Central Lower Michigan. He served on the Board of Directors of Northwest Michigan Human Services from 1967 to 2011. Dale had written many Federal and State Grants for Area Organizations over his career. He was a past President of the Houghton Lake Chamber of Commerce and was very active in Tip Up Town for many years, serving as Mayor of Tip up Town in 1968. He was also a member of the Houghton Lake Elks Lodge, he was an avid bowler, golfer, and fisherman, enjoyed watching his grandson race at Merritt Speedway, and was a collector of hats which he enjoyed wearing. He was known by many as "Uncle Dale".

Surviving Mr. LeGarie are his loving wife of 66 years, Yetive R. LeGarie of Houghton Lake; three daughters, Christine (Dean) Poeppe of Prudenville, Lynn McNeill of Houghton Lake, and Kathryn Rice of Cadillac; son, Joseph (Debra) LeGarie of Houghton Lake; fourteen grandchildren; twenty four great-grandchildren; eleven nieces and nephews. Dale was preceded in death by his parents; niece, Mary Lou Nickel; brother and sister-in-law, Morley and Catherine LeGarie; sister and brother-in-law, Elaine and Don Nickel; and sister-in-law and brother-in-law Judith and James Tremper, son in-law, Michael McNeill and grandson Michael McNeill. 

Family services will be held for Dale Benjamin LeGarie. Memorial contributions in memory of Dale are asked to be directed to Kings Nursing and Rehabilitation Community. Christler Funeral Home, Houghton Lake Chapel is serving the family. Condolences can be sent to the family online at www.christler-holdship.com 

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