Dale Richard Shewalter (May 16, 1950 – January 10, 2010) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

who founded and promoted the

Arizona Trail The Arizona National Scenic Trail is a National Scenic Trail from Mexico to Utah that traverses the whole north–south length of the U.S. state of Arizona. The trail begins at the Coronado National Memorial near the US–Mexico border and moves ...

in 1985. Shewalter was born in

Geneva, Illinois Geneva is a city in and the county seat of Kane County, Illinois, United States. It is located on the western side of the Chicago suburbs. Per the 2020 census, the population was 21,393. Geneva is part of a tri-city area, located between S ...

, on May 16, 1950. He served in the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

1st Battalion, 7th Marines The 1st Battalion, 7th Marines (1/7) is an infantry battalion of the 7th Marine Regiment of the United States Marine Corps. It is currently based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms. Consisting of approximately 1,000 M ...

during the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

. Shewalter worked as a teacher for the

Flagstaff Unified School District The Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) is the primary school district for Flagstaff, Arizona area and neighboring areas. The district has approximately 11,500 students and operates 16 schools; including three high schools (9–12), two middl ...

. Shewalter, who began his career as a

and

educator A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

, led the effort to create the

, a

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

, mountain bike (except Wilderness areas) and horseback trail which extends from the Mexico border near Sierra Vista going 807 miles through Arizona's most remote and rugged areas to the Utah border near Kanab. It was designated a National Scenic Trail in 2009 by the U.S. Congress. A

plaque Plaque may refer to: Commemorations or awards * Commemorative plaque, a plate or tablet fixed to a wall to mark an event, person, etc. * Memorial Plaque (medallion), issued to next-of-kin of dead British military personnel after World War I * Pla ...

stands in Buffalo Park in Flagstaff, Arizona, in recognition of Shewalter's work. Dale Shewalter died of cancer in

Flagstaff, Arizona Flagstaff ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Coconino County, Arizona, Coconino County in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. In 2019, the city's estimated population was 75,038. Flagstaff's combined metropolitan area has ...

, on January 10, 2010, at the age of 59. He was survived by his wife, Madeleine Shewalter, son, Zane Shewalter and stepdaughter, Allison Hartman. His funeral was held at the

Ashurst Auditorium Ashurst may refer to: Places United Kingdom *Ashurst, Hampshire **Served by Ashurst New Forest railway station *Ashurst, Kent **Served by Ashurst (Kent) railway station *Ashurst, Lancashire *Ashurst, West Sussex *Ashurst Wood, West Sussex Other ...

Northern Arizona University Northern Arizona University (NAU) is a public research university based in Flagstaff, Arizona. It was founded in 1899 as the final public university established in the Arizona Territory, 13 years before Arizona was admitted as the 48th state. ...

. Shewalter's niece was

Amy Biehl Amy Elizabeth Biehl (April 26, 1967 – August 25, 1993) was a Fulbright Scholar and American graduate of Stanford University and an anti-Apartheid activist in South Africa who was murdered by Cape Town residents while a black mob shouted an ...

, who was murdered in South Africa in 1993.''The Daily Herald''
Chicago, Illinois, January 9, 2000, p. 143.

References

External links

''Arizona Daily Sun'', January 12, 2010. {{DEFAULTSORT:Shewalter, Dale 1950 births 2010 deaths People from Flagstaff, Arizona People from Geneva, Illinois United States Marine Corps personnel of the Vietnam War Military personnel from Illinois Deaths from cancer in Arizona Educators from Illinois United States Marines