The Beginnings of Dale

So far this blog has been all about Hazel . . . and her teenage life . . . and her family . . . and we’ve only heard about Dale when Hazel mentions him in the diary. Since Dale did become Hazel’s husband, and my father, I thought I’d give you a little more information on him and his family.

Dale was born on December 9, 1934, in College Mound, Missouri, on the back side of his parents farm, in a section we’ve always referred to as “The Bett’s Place.”

Dale’s parents were Salvatore Franklin Pagliai, also known as “Rod”, and Lulu Pearl Britt, who was always called “Pearl”.

When Dale was born, Rod’s little sister, Alice, who was just a teenager at the time, came to stay with Pearl to help with the baby while Rod was away working.

As Rod was leaving for work when Dale was only 3 days old, he got up the hill, and for some reason, looked back, and saw the house on fire!

He raced back down the hill, and as he entered the house, he met Alice coming out, carrying the baby all bundled up. He sped into the bedroom, scooped his wife up out of her bed, and as he was carrying her out of the burning house, the roof was caving in behind them.

They lost everything.

And it was winter.

But they were all safe, thankfully.

They did rebuild on the same spot, and a few years later, they had the house moved up from the Bett’s Place to the top of the hill along the main road. Dale, his brother, Damon, and their sister, Patty, grew up there.

Now the farm is owned by my sister, Katy, and just this summer, the old house was torn down because it was falling in on itself. They’re building their new house on the same spot, and trying to save the old barn from falling in, too.

Hazel met Dale and his brother on December 11, 1951. You can read that diary entry HERE.