Dale-Time

Hi. I’m Dale Clock.

I am the boss, the big cheese, the head dude, the one ultimately responsible for everything that goes on in my family business. And it’s not always a very fun job. Still, I love what I do. It can fill my soul. But it can also be a very lonely place.

I’ve been thinking about writing a blog for some time now. I want it to be a place for people that are in similar situations to feel like they are not alone.

A place to share good times and bad times. Successes and failures. A place to share the real and the absurd, the funny and the heart warming.

And I hope it helps a few people along the way.

I’m calling this blog Dale-Time. Because it’s my time to reflect. It’s a little Dale time. Like mommy time or play time……Plus it’s a play on my name too. Dale Clock. Clock —- Time. Dale —- Time.  Real clever, huh?

Here is a little background.

I own and operate 3 funeral homes in west Michigan. The firm was started by my great grandfather in 1897. I’ve been officially working in the business since 1985. (longer if you count the car washing , grass mowing and flower delivery driving I did in high school). I attended Northwestern University on a NROTC full ride scholarship. I graduated in 1979 with a degree in Industrial Engineering. Served as a Naval officer for 5 years, made 3 overseas deployments. After my Navy time I returned to the family business, went to Worsham College of Mortuary Science and became a Licensed Funeral Director in 1985.

A lot has happened since then. Some good, some bad, but all of it together has made me who I am today. I’ll be sharing some of the past, along with current events in the ever changing challenges of running a family funeral home. I hope you find some of it entertaining, some of it educational, some of it motivational and most of it worth your time.

And if you run a family business too, I hope some of my words will let you know that you’re not alone out there. That somebody gets what you’re going through.

I’m Dale Clock. Thanks for listening.