When Experiencing a Storm in Your Life, What is Your Gyroscope?

L-R: Optimist Member Paul Budden, Rev Dr. Dale Young, Optimist President Terri Ellis

Rev Dr. Dale Young spoke to the Optimist Club about "Navigating the Headwinds" at the July 24, 2026 meeting. Dale graduated from Platteville High School and UW-Platteville. He attended the Navel Officer Candidate School in Annapolis, Maryland, and was commissioned a navel officer. He served in combat in Vietnam and later served as a communications officer at the Pentagon in Washington DC. Dr Young is also a graduate of Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, IA and was ordained a Lutheran Minister. He has ministered in Milwaukee, Chile, and Miami, FL. He served as a Healthcare Chaplin for 28 years providing emotional and spiritual support before he retired and moved back to Platteville. Since retiring, he remains active in training pastors and others in grief support.

Dale spoke about how a gyroscope works on a ship in order to counteract the rotation of the sea and allowing it to stay afloat against headwinds and typhoons. He shared stories of headwinds, noting them as "dangers", and examples of how to navigate them. Dr. Young had a gift with counselling children who were dying after growing up in a grieving family. He spoke about losing his sister when he was 15 years old. She was born with a hole in her heart and they were told she wouldn't live more than a year. She died at the age of 8. He explained "anticipatory grief" - the sorrow, anxiety, and distress felt when your loved one is still alive. It was a touching story as he reflected on his sister as their "visiting angel." Every day with her was a blessing.

While serving as Healthcare Chaplin, Dale wrote and was awarded several grants that allowed him to create a faith based support group where hundreds of grief support facilitators were trained which then led to the development of grief support in numerous countries. He has written several books including "Comforting Those Who Mourn", which is available in several languages, to put his experiences in writing and provide ways to understand and work through grief, provide inspiration from authentic stories shared by survivors, and give readers tools to help process grief. Most recently, he wrote "Navigating a Return to Happiness" as he wanted to share his personal story of how to get your joy back after several decades of doing grief work companioning hundreds of families who lost loved ones, many who were children due to illness, accidents, and violence. Dr. Young understands the challenges of grieving loved ones but also celebrates the resilience of the human spirit.