10/9/1929 – 2/17/2026
Salina
Dale Eugene Satterthwaite passed away peacefully, at the age of 96, on February 17, 2026, at the Presbyterian Manor in Salina, Kansas, surrounded by his loving family.
Dale was born on October 9, 1929, in Udall, Kansas, to Earl and Leona Satterthwaite, the third of five children. He attended middle school and high school in El Dorado, Kansas, and graduated from El Dorado Junior College, now known as Butler County Community College, in 1949.
While he was in junior high, Dale met the love of his life, Bonnie Bowers, while square dancing at the El Dorado Boosters 4-H Club. They married in 1950 and had two daughters, Lisa in 1955 and Stacey in 1957. Dales’s other claim to fame in junior high was that he won the penmanship award several years running, and he capitalized on that by having beautiful handwriting the remainder of his life.
Dale had a forty five year career with the Gas Service Company, now known as Evergy. He started out as a warehouse foreman, and then rose through the ranks, serving as the Division Manager in Topeka, the District Manager of KPL Gas Service, Southern Region, and ended his career in Wichita as Manager of Community Relations at KP&L. He retired in 1992.
He volunteered extensively throughout his career, serving on multiple Chamber of Commerce boards in El Dorado, Hutchinson, Topeka and Wichita, as well as participating in Rotary Club, Downtown Topeka Inc., the United Way, and many others. Dale was a proud graduate of El Dorado High School and served as president of its alumni association for many years. In addition, he served on the board of directors for the Sophia Berman Molk Foundation from its inception in 1989 until his death. He was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church in El Dorado.
Dale was preceded in death by his wife, Bonnie, his parents Earl and Leona, his brother Elwood (Bud), who died in WWII, his sister Lois and her husband Howard, his sister Waunita, and his brother-in-law Jim Moreland.
Dale is survived by his sister Shirley Moreland, his daughter Lisa Graham and her husband Randy, his daughter Stacey Dillon and her husband Reed, as well as four grandchildren: Cole Graham and his wife Candice, Laine Norris and her husband Jeff, Grayson Dillon and his wife Kaylin, and Gabrielle Dillon-Keyton and her husband Dylan. In addition, Dale enjoyed spending time with his three great grandchildren-Quinn Dillon, Graham Norris and Gwen Norris.
The family wants to thank Dale’s amazing group of friends that he made after moving to Presbyterian Manor for their unending support, as well as the staff at the manor for the loving care that they provided for Dale towards the end of his life. We are so grateful for all of you.
Friends may gather with the family for a memorial service on Monday, February 23, at 11:30am, at Kirby-Morris Funeral Home in El Dorado. Memorial contributions may be made to the El Dorado High School USD 490 Partners in Education Foundation, under the names of Bonnie and Dale Satterthwaite, benefiting students wishing to attend the University of Kansas. Direct donations can be made to the Bonnie & Dale Satterthwaite Scholarship at: https://www.aplos.com/aws/give/PIE490/s-college.
Please sign his online guestbook and leave a memory of Dale at: www.carlsonkirbymorris.com
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