Dale Reinhold Hahn

Dale Reinhold Hahn passed away on July 15, 2025. Born June 8,1929, in Twin Falls, Idaho to Reinhold Hahn and Elsa (Platt) Hahn, Dale had a long and beautiful life of 96 years. In 1932, Dale’s parents moved Dale and his younger brother, Wayne, to the family farm in Madison, Nebraska where Dale grew up and graduated from Madison High School.

In 1946 at the age of seventeen, Dale joined the army and proudly served with the First Cavalry Division in the Occupation of Japan. He was honorably discharged as a World War II veteran. In 1950 he married Erma Lintner, and they raised three children: Susan, Terry, and Peggy. After twenty years of marriage, Dale and Erma divorced in 1970.

In 1950 Dale began to work for the federal government in Hastings, Nebraska at the Naval Ammunition Depot in the Railroad Switch Yard. In 1957, he was recruited by the Protective Force at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory to work for the Atomic Energy Commission as a security guard. Dale moved his family to Los Alamos where he became a vital community member.

In 1964 Dale took a full-time job for the federally owned and operated Los Alamos Fire Department. Because of his work schedule for the fire department, Dale was also able to work part-time as a lab technician for the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. Dale proudly worked twenty years for the Los Alamos Fire Department, and he often said that it was “The best job in the world.” He retired in 1984 from his position as Assistant Chief.

Dale was an active member of Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church over 55 years. In 1971 Dale met the love of his life, Thelma Templeton, who had two children of her own: Tabitha and Tyndale. They married at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on August 3, 1971, and celebrated with family and friends by serving wedding cake that they made together. Thelma, the artist, and Dale the fireman/ gardener created a home filled with faith, hope and love in White Rock, New Mexico. Dale loved to wear one of his many sets of suspenders to church each week. And as a very active member of the congregation Dale loved his role as an usher.

Dale had many hobbies; the two main hobbies that interested him most were investing and gardening. His love of gardening came from his time growing up on the Nebraska farm. Dale's garden in White Rock was approximately 10,000 square feet and he grew sweet corn, pinto beans, tomatoes, elephant garlic, rhubarb, and numerous other vegetables. He maintained his large garden well into his 90’s. A great summertime pleasure for Dale was watching the hundreds of hummingbirds that would show up each season. To be able to view as many hummingbirds as possible, Dale put twenty hummingbird feeders in the yard around his home and frequently had to fill them twice a day.

Dale's parents Reinhold and Elsa, his brother Wayne, and numerous aunts and uncles preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife of almost 54 years Thelma, his children Susan Davis (Otis) of Portales, Terry Hahn of Los Alamos, Peggy Kinabrew of Albuquerque, stepdaughter Tabitha Normandin of Kansas, stepson Tyndale Templeton (Terina) of Kansas, 10 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and 7 cousins. Donations in Dale’s honor may be given to Bethlehem Lutheran Church, the American Cancer Society, or the Espanola Humane Society. A committal service at the National Cemetery in Santa Fe is to be scheduled for a later date.