Robert "Dale" Schade was born in Great Bend, Kansas January 1944 and passed suddenly and unexpectedly on Sunday, November 21, 2010 of a heart attack. Dale graduated from Pacific High School in San Bernardino and took photography classes at Brooks in Santa Barbara before joining the Santa Barbara County Sheriff Department.

Eventually, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and he retired from the Sheriff Department in 1999. Then, he worked for the City of Solvang and the City of Buellton, enforcing Building and Safety Codes.

Dale fully enjoyed his hobbies: camping, reading, golfing, fishing plus spending time with family and friends. He and his wife often entertained others or were involved in some party or another. For the last several years, Dale was Security Chief for Rancheros Visitadores and looked forward to the annual ride in the Valley. Home improvement projects were always in the works.

Dale is lovingly survived by his wife, Lia; his mother, "Billie" Lambert; his two Sons Erik and Nick Schade, Step-daughter, Arianna Zanesco; his sister Ann Gellis plus nieces Catherine, Misty and Amanda and fun cousins Gayle, George, Barbara, Gene, Larry & Rosie on one side of the family and numerous cousins on the "Schade" side of the family. He was a big man with a big heart and he used it all up.

A service will be held this Saturday, November 27th at 1:00 pm at Trinity Church of the Nazarene, followed by a reception at the Elks Lodge in
Lompoc. No ties or uniforms, please, per Dale's wishes. Internment will occur Monday afternoon at the Lompoc Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers…go camping, fishing, golfing or read a good book.

The extended family thanks all the people who have reached out to help and offered prayers, including prayers for Dale and his cowboy ways.