Dale C. Kana

Dr. Dale C. Kana, 79, of Fargo, ND, died on February 14, 2013, at Sanford Hospital, Palliative Care, Fargo.

Dale was born April 25, 1933, in Grand Forks, ND, to Lawrence and Frances (Dokken) Kana. He grew up in Grand Forks and graduated from Central High School where he earned nine letters in football, basketball and golf. He attended the University of North Dakota in the pre-med program and received his B.A. in 1956 and B.S. in Medicine in 1957. While at UND he played basketball one year and was on the golf traveling team for four years. He then attended the University of Kansas Medical School in Kansas City, Kansas, where he received his Medical Degree in 1959.
Dale returned to Fargo and interned at St. John's Hospital. Upon completion of his internship he joined the Grafton Clinic in Family Practice in Grafton, ND. He was County Coroner, President of the JC's, Vice President of the Lions Club and a member of the golf and curling clubs.

In 1964, Dr. Kana bought his own practice in Fargo and practiced on his own for several years until he and a group of family practice doctors joined forces in 1970 and moved into the Professional Building, which Dale and seven other doctors contracted to have built.

In 1981, the Family Practice group joined the Fargo Clinic which later became MeritCare and is now Sanford. Dale was a family practice mentor for several years for junior UND medical students which he enjoyed very much. He was the team doctor for Coach Mary Skaar's basketball teams at NDSU and Moorhead State and physician for the Burlington Northern Railroad.

In 1986, for a period of five years, Dr. Kana practiced in Detroit Lakes where he helped establish the MeritCare Clinic and aided in the planning of the new clinic building. He then returned to his office at Southwest Clinic in Fargo where he remained until his retirement in 1999.

Dale loved to golf, hunt, fish, play bridge and poker with his friends. He curled in Grafton, Detroit Lakes and Fargo. He was a member of the Fargo Country Club and Elks Club for many years.
His favorite place to fish was on Pelican Lake near his cottage at a spot that was named Kana's Island because of all the walleyes he caught there. He had his trophy walleye mounted and it is now hanging on his grandson Max's bedroom wall.

Dale married LoAnn Burman from Grand Forks in 1955. She survives with their three daughters, Deborah Morin and Lori Kana, both of Fargo; Barbara (Todd) Heiser of DeWitt, MI; three grandchildren, Dale Peter Morin, Fargo; Madeline and Max Heiser, DeWitt, MI; two nieces; a nephew; and his nurse, Alice Doyle, who was with him all the time he practiced in Fargo.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Darrell and Larry.

A Memorial Service for Dale will be held at Olivet Lutheran Church, 1330 S. University Dr., Fargo, on Thursday, April 25, 2013 at 2:00 pm. This date would have been Dale's 80th birthday.

Condolences may be sent to 566 42nd St. S., #374, Fargo, ND 58103.