Dr. Dale Tacker

Dr. Robin Dale Tacker, 80, of Abilene, passed away peacefully on Tuesday morning, September 10, 2019.  A visitation will be on Sunday, September 15, 2019 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. at Piersall Funeral Directors, 733 Butternut Street.  Funeral services will be on Monday, September 16, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. at the Hamby Church of Christ, with burial to follow at Elmwood Memorial Park with military honors.

Dale was born on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1939 in Porter, Oklahoma to Robin Joel and Vernie Lea Elston Tacker.  His parents owned a dairy farm and a baby calf was born the same day.  They soon moved to Wagoner, Oklahoma where Dale grew up and graduated high school in 1957.  Dale grew up riding horses, caring for cattle, training and racing horses, and rodeoing, which included roping and the occasional bull ride.  He also boxed in the Golden Gloves while in high school.  He worked with Mr. June Jeffers breezing his racehorse, Mr. Bar None, before going to school.  Dale learned much of his horsemanship skills while working for Mr. Jeffers and, at the age of 12, trained his first horse for money.

After high school, Dale entered Oklahoma State University.  After a year of school, he joined the paratroopers in the U.S. Army, but due to Dale’s color blindness, he had to leave the paratroopers and join the regular Army.  He trained at Fort Carson, Colorado and served with the 1 ^st Battle Group, 60 ^th Infantry.  He became a First-Class Gunner, a sharpshooter, an expert in pistol and trained as a boxer, helping the 60 ^th Infantry win the Post Boxing Championship, earning a commendation from his commanding Colonel.  After his honorable discharge from the Army, he enrolled at David Lipscomb University, where he met the love of his life, Renith Capps.  They were married on November 21, 1962.

After the spring of 1963, Dale and Reni signed up with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to teach on the Navajo Reservation at Round Rock, Arizona, with Chinle as their sub-agency.  They both taught in the school and Dale trained horses for the trading post owners and one of his own.  After many adventures, they returned to Wagoner, Oklahoma for Dale to finish his degree.  He graduated from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah and went into teaching full-time with Reni.  They both taught at Star School in Wagoner, with Reni teaching grades 1–4 and Dale teaching grades 5-8.  Dale was the principal and bus driver, Reni managed the cafeteria, and they both served as the janitorial staff, event planners and Christmas play organizers.  The following year, Dale became eligible for the GI Bill and they moved to Tulsa for Dale to earn his Master’s and Doctorate degrees from the University of Tulsa in Education.  Dale and Reni both taught in the Tulsa public schools, where Dale was promoted to an elementary school principal.

In September of 1969, their son, Robin Dale, Jr. was born, and in November of 1971, daughter Rhonda Kaye was added to the family.  In 1977, the family moved to Abilene where Dale was hired as the Director of Student Teaching at Abilene Christian University, where he remained until he retired in 2004.  During those years in Abilene, Dale worked with the bus ministry at the Hillcrest Church of Christ and helped with many services at the Central Iglesia de Christo and with the International Friends ministry at Hillcrest.  Following his retirement, Dale and Reni worshipped and served at the Hamby Church of Christ.  Dale was an active member of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene, serving a term as President and selling tickets to and working the annual Chili Days.  Dale continued to train horses and participate in team roping events in and around Abilene until he could no longer get on a horse.

Dale was preceded in death by his parents, Robin Joel and Vernie Lea Tacker, and his sisters, Bobbie Lea Stockton and Carolyn Jeanne Hornsby.  He is survived by his devoted wife Reni; son Robin Dale Tacker, Jr. and his wife Mary; daughter Rhonda Kaye Wilson and husband Andy; grandchildren Haley Jane Tacker and Robin Joel Tacker, Jake Wilson, Luke Wilson, Sam Wilson, Katie Wilson, and Nate Wilson; and the grandchildren of Robin Dale, Jr. and wife, Mary; Terra Rose Jimenez and Caden, Destiny and Avery Blankenship.  He is also survived by his sister Jane Baird and husband Dr. David Baird; brother-in-law Mike Hornsby; and six nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Meals On Wheels or www.zambiamission.org/foodrelief .

Condolences can be offered to the family online at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com .