Dale Laverne “Mick” McCuddin, age 90, passed away peacefully on Monday, August 17, 2026.

A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, August 24, 2026, at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel, 6200 Morningside Avenue Sioux City, IA 51106.  Visitation with the family will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.  Burial with Military Honors will be at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Mick was born on April 12, 1936, in Sioux City, Iowa. Born to Kent Crippen McCuddin and Grace Louise (Bladt) McCuddin. Mick lived his whole life in Leeds and attended Hawthorne Elementary, where his Grandma Howell went to school as well. He went on to Leeds High School for grades 7-12 and graduated in the Class of 1954. He was active in their music program and played the clarinet, trombone, trumpet and saxophone.

At age 12, Mickey worked for 25 cents an hour at Leeds Variety store. At age 16, he’d spend his summers in Minnesota with his aunt and uncle, Clara and Fred Bladt. He loved working on their farm. He learned to drive a 1937 Chevy in the fields of their farm. He was never afraid of a little hard work. He loved cars and motorcycles. His first car was a 1928 Model A Coupe A with a rumble-seat. He traveled to Minnesota to buy it, and his dad painted it black because it had advertising on it. His first motorcycle was a 1936 Harley Davidson with a sidecar. Mick cut the sidecar off! He bought a house at age 21 on Polk Street and rented it to his brother and his wife. He later bought the house next door so he could tear it down and add on to the original home for his family.

He married Sharon Ann Butler on June 16, 1962, at Wesley Methodist Church in Leeds. The reception was held in the basement of the church. On September 26, 1954, at the age of 18 Mick enlisted in the Air National Guard. He attended basics in Sioux City for one year as an Air Tech. This was a civil service job with a military uniform. He worked on C47s (gooney birds as he told his children), C54s and twin engine T29s. He shared how he would taxi the airplanes in and out of the hangars when the pilots were finished. Sometimes with only 6 inches on each side of the plane’s wings! Mick was called up to duty and went to Korea during the Vietnam War. The 185th was there due to the Pueblo Crisis. He spent one year in South Korea and years later went back for a month. He also spent nearly every year at the Panama Canal. He was promoted to Senior Master Sgt and retired in 1990 after 36 years of service.

Mick and Sharon have four children. Scott Alan was born in 1963, Douglas Lee in 1966, Jill Ranae in 1968 and Timothy Dale in 1970. He filled his time by performing maintenance duties at Glen Oaks apartments and traveling with his wife, brother Gary and his wife Donalda. Many of their travels were in a motor home. Mick would ask Sharon, “what way?” when they were deciding where to go. In 2002, Sharon finally got him off of Polk Street and on to an acreage on C80. Many discussions have occurred under the Knowledge Tree in their front yard. Mick would always say that Sharon raised those four kids, but his grandchildren know how loving and soft hearted “Grumpy” is with them.

They have 11 grandchildren; Coty, Bryant, Lindsay, Landon, Jordan, Austin, Courtney, Mackenzie, Bailey, Sierra and Jake. After his wife’s passing on October 1, 2003, their family grew with 12 great grandchildren; Aidan, Hans, Otto, Hunter, Harper, Glory Belle, Rylie, Maddyn, Elsie, Sophie, Ivy and Callan. His many one-liners, quick humor and easy tears will be missed by all his family. Mick (Crud) was preceded in death by his wife Sharon, brothers Gary and Keith and parents Kent and Grace McCuddin. Surviving relatives include his children Scott (Tina), Doug (Silvia), Jill (Todd) and Tim (Janelle), 11 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, sister in laws Donalda McCuddin and Judy Weiland, and best friend Bob “Grub” Sorensen.

The family would like to express their love and gratitude to The Heritage at Northern Hills and Hospice of the Midwest for the wonderful care they provided to their father.