Dale L. Martinitz was born March 30, 1936 in Herington Kansas and passed away September 16, 2024 after dementia illness. He resided at Reflections Retirement Home in Salina, KS with his wife of 68 years Nadine Martinitz. He was preceded in death by Mother Pearl (Schmidt), Father Noton, Sister Jeanine (Martinitz) Weick, brother in law Lyle Mehl, and brother in law Harold Chalker.
Survivors include loving wife Nadine (Mehl) Martinitz, Son Brian Martinitz and wife Cheryl Dubs of Chandler, AZ, Daughter Melanie (Martinitz) Thrower and husband Dennis Thrower of Abilene, KS, Daughter Lynelle Martinitz of Salina, KS, grandson Brice Thrower of Salina, KS and granddaughters Meredith Frazier of Salina, KS and Rachel Frazier of Lenexa, KS and step grandkids Jerry Alkire of Salina, KS, Megan Alkire of Salina, KS and Dustin Alkire of Jacou, France and four great grandkids and four step great grandkids, sister in law Betty (Mehl) Chalker of Goddard, KS, brother in law Wilfred Weick of Calgary, Canada; and many nieces and nephews.
Care givers Crista and Lynda and Hospice of Intrim Health Care provided much appreciated loving care.
Dale was raised in rural Dickinson County, Kansas and graduated from Chapman High School in 1954. He graduated from Kansas State University as a Civil Structural Engineer in 1958. He began his career with Pittsburg DesMoine Steel in Iowa, then with Ershams in Enterprise, KS, and then with Wilson & Company in Salina, and Wilson Murrow from 1965 to 1971 in Saudi Arabia. In 1978 he established Mid Continent Engineers Consulting Services in Salina Kansas until he retired in 2015. He mentored draftsmen and engineers, many who later found successful career paths. He was very proud of his designs of Steel Bridge and Pedestrian overpasses along I-70 and Kellogg in Wichita and Kansas City, and structures of East Crawford Street and East Iron Bridges, the Water well Overpass, and the Oakdale Bridge in Salina, KS
as well as others throughout Kansas. He loved to talk to people about his world travels and told many interesting stories.
His professional associations included Kansas State University Alumni, Society of Professional Engineers, Society of Land Surveyors, American Welding Society, Society of Structural Engineers, and American society of Civil Engineers.
Dale volunteered with the Salvation Army, and was an active member of Gideons, Kiwanis and the First Baptist Church.
Family and church were most important to Dale. He is loved and highly respected and will be missed.
Dale’s wishes were to be cremated. A private memorial service and burial at a later date will take place at Mt. Zion Cemetery in Dickinson County, KS.