Dale Van Kley, a precious child of God, is at peace following a years-long fight with pulmonary fibrosis. Dale was a loving husband to his wife Sandra, devoted father to his children Annique, Erik and Kristen, son-in-law Martin Spierings, and doting grandfather to Hayden and Emmylou.

Dale was born to John and Stella Van Kley in (then) rural South Holland, Illinois. His childhood was spent exploring the outdoors and developing a deep love of nature.

Dale attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, following the path trod by his brother Edwin and sister Marlene. He graduated with majors in History, English and Philosophy. He went on to attend graduate school at Yale University, where he received a doctorate in History.

Following his graduation, he made the first of many extended trips to Paris, France that he would take throughout his life. This began Dale’s lifelong passion for all things French: culture, food, wine, language, people, chansons, and of course, history.

A professor of history at Calvin College for 28 years and later at The Ohio State University for 14 years, Dale was a serious scholar and valued teacher, mentor, and colleague. The work he produced in his chosen area of research - ancien regime France - was thoughtful, original, and meticulously researched. He regularly published scholarship that impacted the work of many other leading historians. As Keith Michael Baker, Stanford University said of Dale some years ago, "Dale’s work will be read fifty years from now and will be the place younger scholars begin in order to understand the complexity and intertwined nature of religious and political life in 17th and 18th century France.” The combination of Dale’s passion, his originality as a scholar, his generosity, and his willingness to mentor young historians made him a distinguished and valued member of the academic community.

Dale retired in 2013 but continued to stay active and engaged with his colleagues in research, writing and mentoring until his very last earthly days.

Throughout his life, Dale was a courageous and fearless advocate for social justice and equality issues. In the early 1970s, he moved his young family into the urban core of Grand Rapids, Michigan and walked a beat to look out for his neighbors and address neighborhood issues. He deeply valued diversity and was a strong advocate for marginalized communities and for his LGBTQ+ colleagues. In 2013, Dale joined St. Marks Episocal Church, where he was an engaged member of the Dismantling Racism Committee.

Outside of his work and advocacy, Dale enjoyed life. He was a devoted and long–standing friend to many people, and greatly enjoyed engaging with them in vigorous discussions about life, politics and work. He loved dining and savored the full experience of it: the cocktails, the servers, the wine selection, the conversation and of course, the wonderful food. He also loved long-distance running. Whenever Dale visited a new place for work or otherwise, he brought his running shoes along and took to the streets to experience the joys and complexities of cities. He completed many races of various distances including eight marathons. His personal best marathon time was 3:08.

Dale was preceded in death by his father, mother, brother and sister.

A celebration of Dale’s life will be held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids on Saturday, April 22 at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Safe and Just: https://www.safeandjustmi.org/.