Dale Kademan Obituary

Dale Maurice Kademan died Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010, at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Tucson, Ariz. He was 62.

Mr. Kademan was born to Harvey and Marie Vanderwyst Kademan on Aug. 5, 1948, in Colby, Wis.

After high school, he joined the Air Force, spending much of his service time in Thailand. After four years in the military, he returned to Eau Claire, Wis., and worked for a paper mill for about 10 years.

On March 20, 1971, he married Jan Nuenke in Eau Claire, Wis. They divorced after 10 years of marriage.

After leaving the paper mill, Mr. Kademan went to work in a radiator repair shop, learning a new trade that he greatly enjoyed. It soon became his dream to open his own radiator shop. In 1988, he moved to Durango, opening his business, ATI Radiator Service, which he had until his death.

Mr. Kademan loved football. He was a huge Green Bay Packers fan. He attended many University of New Mexico Lobos football games and most of the Fort Lewis College Skyhawks football and basketball games.

He enjoyed watching old Western movies and driving his jeep in the mountains near his home. He especially enjoyed having coffee every morning with his friends at the Exxon station at College Drive and East Fourth Avenue.

"Dale adored his grandchildren and 'lived' for the times he would spend with them, visiting them as much as he could," his friend Stacy Webb said. "Dale was known for being a 'Good Samaritan,' helping others whenever he could. If a customer was having financial difficulty, he would tell them not to worry and just pay when they could, or charge only what the customer could afford."

He spent hours shoveling and removing snow with his skidster, wherever the need presented itself. Countless stories have been told of his kindness in helping those in need, Webb said.

Mr. Kademan is survived by his daughter, Spring Gibbs, of Madison, Tenn.; brothers Wayne Kademan of Durango, Darrell Kademan of Farmington and Donald Kademan of Chippewa Falls, Wis.; and eight grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010, at First United Methodist Church of Durango, 2917 Aspen Drive.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Dale Kademan Memorial Fund at Bank of San Juans, 144 E. Eighth St., Durango, CO 81301.