Dale Crews Showman, 84, of Grand Terrace, CA died in his home on March 31, 2023, after a short tussle with cancer (not a battle - he wasn’t a violent person). He was born on November 27, 1938, to Harry Crews Showman and Ethel “Jeri” Showman in Los Angeles, CA. He lived a great, fulfilling life and lived to be older than dirt.
From the very beginning Dale’s intellect, sense of humor, and empathy defined him as a person. He was an inquisitive child who loved reading Popular Science and learning how things work. While traditional school wasn’t always a good fit for him, he was a lifelong learner who devoured books, attended educational events, and read science magazines. He later found a passion for teaching and spent many years leading an adult Bible study class at First Presbyterian Church of San Bernardino, where he also served as a Deacon and an Elder, sang in the choir, and served on multiple committees.
Dale attended University High School in Los Angeles and Valley College in San Bernardino. He also served in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in Oxford, England, and Tucson, Arizona during his service. His love of engineering and tinkering ultimately led him to a career with Kodak, which took him all over Southern California and, sometimes, to Rochester, NY.
Throughout his life, Dale was drawn to photography. “Avid” isn’t a strong enough word for his love of the medium. More often than not there was a camera in his hands or around his neck, and this avocation took him on many adventures (thankfully only a few resulted in car trouble). After retirement Dale was able to spend more time on his passion; he was active with the Redlands Camera Club and earned a number of awards for his landscape, nature, and portrait photography.
Dale was an all-around fantastic son, brother, husband, father, friend, and mentor. His smile lit up a room and he never let a conversation end without giving the gift of a joke or chuckle. He truly was the Greatest Showman.
Dale is survived by his wife of nearly 46 years, Kathy (Dauwalder) Showman; his four daughters and their spouses, Dawn Sharp of Apple Valley, CA; Tracy and Mark Langford of Brentwood, CA; Kelly and Fred Nelsen of Lucerne Valley, CA; and Christi and Scott Farrar of Danvers, MA. He is also survived by his younger sister, Judy Cory, of Solvang, CA, as well as 9 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and dozens of nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was predeceased by his parents and his eldest daughter, Marianne “Dolly” Showman.
A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church of San Bernardino on Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 2 pm. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, Dale’s family requests donations to the American Cancer Society or Feeding America Riverside San Bernardino.
If you have read this far you deserve a gift (a “groaner”) from Dale:
Q: When does a joke become a dad joke?
A: When it becomes apparent.