Dale is a 1969 graduate of Wickliffe High School. He obtained a BA Degree from Kent State University (73), Masters Degree, Kent State (77) and Juris Doctor Degree, Cleveland Marshall College of Law (84).

It was during his children’s tenure at WHS that he began “giving back” to the school system that had given so much to him. He was named “Popcorn King” by fellow volunteers in the Friday night football concession stand and proudly served as the PA announcer for both the football team and the Wickliffe Swing Band. It was also during this time that he was elected to two consecutive terms on the Wickliffe City School Board.

Dale served on the Lake County Board of Developmental Disabilities and the Crossroads Board for youth and family counseling. During this time, he served as a member of the Wickliffe Civil Commission, overseeing the hiring of police and fire department members.

Dale served as a juvenile probation officer in the Lake County Juvenile Court for 11 years while attending night school to obtain Masters and Law degrees. After law school, Dale joined the Painesville law firm of Cannon, Stern and Aveni and remained in private practice for the next seven years. He became a Court Magistrate in both the Willoughby and Cleveland Heights Municipal Courts. He also served as Law Director of the City of Wickliffe until his retirement in 2007.

Dale is the husband of fellow Wickliffe grad Christine Tomsic Lefferts (1969) and proud father of daughter, Lori (1997) and son, Eric (1998), his wife Kristin and grandchildren Nolan and Reagan.