Breckenridge Texan

Dale Ervin Salisbury, 77, of Breckenridge, Texas, passed away in Abilene on November 18, 2024. The family will be doing a memorial service at a later date.

Dale was born March 1, 1947, to parents Donald and Virginia Arendts, and later adopted and raised by Gladys and Virgil Salisbury in Owatonna, Minnesota. After graduation from the Dodge Center High School, he joined the United States Air Force. His almost thirty years of military service took him to various places, and he was stationed in Germany, Korea, and England, as well as various bases here in the United States during his time of service. Dale retired from the United States Air Force and made Breckenridge, Texas, his home.

He was a National Rifle Association Instructor for over forty years as a precise marksman. In early 1984, through a Church single’s meeting on Cannon Air Force Base, Clovis, New Mexico, Dale crossed paths with Teresa “Teri” Laney and instantly became friends. It didn’t take Dale long before he asked for Teri’s hand in marriage. The couple shared many things over the last forty years together and would not take any of those memories for granted.

Dale was an avid vinyl album collector, and his record collection was massive enough to be cataloged; he always knew when something was not put back in its correct spot or stored correctly. He also enjoyed war movies, horse-related or sci-fi movies in his spare time.

Anyone who knew him knew that he had a deep love for animals, especially horses. Dale didn’t allow the mistreatment of any animal if he knew of it. On several occasions, he would foster the animal for several months and then have them adopted out to a forever home. He was a volunteer in his later years at the Stephens County Animal Shelter.

Dale is preceded in death by parents Gladys and Virgil Salisbury and Virginia and Donald Arendts, brother Duane Wickstroms, grandson Cody Hillock, and daughter Ingrid Greer.

He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Teresa; daughter Robyn Brooks and husband Wade; and brothers Doug, Larry, David Wickstroms, and Barry Arendts, and sister, Toni Carlson, children: Scott Ellis, Anita Manning, Juaneama Salisbury, Jeanna Hancock, and Jeffery Salisbury, along with numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Condolences may be made in honor of Dale at meltonkitchens.com. Memorials can be made to Stephens County Animal Shelter and may be left at the Melton Kitchens Funeral home office.