Robert Davis 'Dale' Goldstrand

Robert Davis ‘Dale’ Goldstrand died peacefully at the age of 86 at his home in Cortez, CO on Friday, October 30, 2020. A private rosary and Mass with military honors will be held at Saint Margaret Mary Catholic church in Cortez on Saturday, November 21, 2020 (9:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., respectively).
Dale was a first generation Swedish-American born on September 21, 1934 at Lake of the Woods, Minnesota to Gustav (Eriksson) Goldstrand and Beulah Irene (Davis) Goldstrand. He was the second of four sons born to Gustav, who immigrated from Varmland, Sweden, and Beulah of Roosevelt, Minnesota. His older brother Michael ‘Mickey’ died at the age of four. Dale had two younger brothers, Oren and Carl, as well as half-siblings Pearl Violet, Dorothy Rose, and Eugene Dale Goldstrand.
The family moved from Minnesota in 1941 and settled in Horton, Oregon near Triangle Lake. Dale enjoyed the Oregon outdoors and loved to hunt, fish, and ride horseback. After graduating from Triangle Lake high school Dale worked in the logging industry for Hult Lumber Company and then for the US Forest Service. He joined the US Navy during the Korean Conflict in July, 1954 and served honorably as a Second Class Gunners Mate and Torpedoman. He married Barbara Joyce (Minter) and had two children, Leah and Michael. After his discharge at Naval Ordnance Test Station at China Lake, California in November 1963, Dale continued working for the Department of Defense as an ordnance technician through September 1973.
A natural mechanic, Dale trained with Marion Pipher of Pipher’s Automotive in Ridgecrest, California as a part-time occupation. Eventually, he opened his own automotive repair business ‘Dale’s Foreign Car Repair’ in Inyokern, California. Dale ordered a Datsun 240Z in 1969 and waited six months to acquire it from Wally Tucker Datsun in Bakersfield. He enjoyed slalom and Monte Carlo-type racing as a member of the High Desert Chapter of the Four Cylinder Car Club of America.
In 1973, Dale moved to Hygiene, Colorado. He fulfilled his dream of establishing a successful foreign car repair business ‘T&D Foreign Car Specialists’ with his second wife Theresa (Bork). They had two sons, Aren and Evan.
With his personal knowledge and love of the Datsun line, Dale garnered a statewide reputation as ‘Mr. Z’. He joined the Rocky Mountain Z Club in Denver, and one of his greatest thrills was meeting the Datsun Z designer Yutaka Katayama ‘Mr. K’. The former president of Nissan Motor Company’s U.S. branch, Mr. K sat in Dale’s 240Z and advised him to always keep the car original – which Dale did. Dale operated his foreign car repair business in Hygiene (Boulder County) from 1973 until 2006 when he retired.
Dale was a great storyteller with more than 80 years of unique experiences that he loved to share. All who met him were immediately charmed with his down-to-earth simplicity, modesty, humor, and wit. He loved and mentored young folks throughout his life and was called ‘Pops’ by those who loved and admired him. He touched the lives of so many throughout his full life -- young and old. He was famous for passing along good advice while imitating his father’s Swedish brogue. One of Dale’s favorite phrases was, “The main thing is NOT to get EXCITED about anything.” When asked how he was, Dale would typically reply, “Every day’s a good day; some days are better.”
Dale was preceded in death by his brother Mickey, his parents, and his son Michael Dale. He is survived by his wife of 47 years Theresa, daughter Leah, sons Aren and Evan. He is also survived by granddaughters Erica, Miranda, Onna-Marie, and Tiffanie; great-grandchildren Jorden, Zackary, Ryan, and Lauren.
Memorial contributions can be made in Dale’s name to Hospice of Montezuma, PO Box 740 Cortez, CO 81321.