James "Dale" Lambley

James Dale Lambley, age 84 of Paxico, passed away on Saturday August 29th, 2026 at his home.

He was born August 22, 1942, in Creston, Iowa, the son of John and Corda (Sharr) Lambley. They lived near Conway, IA, near his grandparents’ family farm.

Dale started Kindergarten in Conway Public School in 1947. In the spring of 1950, his family moved to a farm near Blockton, Iowa, where he attended a one-room schoolhouse.

In 1951, Dale contracted Polio, a case so serious that he had to relearn how to walk. He did mostly recover and was able to return to school and start 4th grade in Blockton in the fall. For the first several months of school, Dale had to be helped on and off the bus and up and down the Blockton School stairs by his good friend J.R. Campbell.

Dale graduated from Bedford High School in 1960 and attended 2 years of junior college at Clarinda, Iowa, before transferring to Kansas State University. While attending Kansas State, Dale met Nellie Price. They fell hopelessly in love and were married on August 24, 1966. Dale obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Entomology from KSU and then briefly attended Idaho State University before returning to Kansas to take a job with the Kansas Department of Agriculture, where he worked for 32 years. Dale worked as an ag. field agent covering multiple Kansas counties, supported investigation of fly-by-night pesticide scam artists, and served as a grain inspector to ensure grain was approved for export worldwide. He worked his way up to management, where he was a kind and reasonable leader. At the time of his retirement, he was the Special Assistant to the Secretary of Agriculture. Dale, a former farm boy, worked with the Secretary and the Kansas Legislature to help draft rules and regulations with a common sense approach in how they affected farmers, ranchers, and everyone statewide.

For 42 years, Dale and Nellie lived out their shared dream of living in a stone house in the Flint Hills of Kansas. In their retirement years, they enjoyed the quiet country life and spent many hours tending their large garden. They have been long-time members of the Paxico United Methodist Church. Dale was an eager and willing worker and acted as a lay minister as well as participating in the church’s annual Rummage Sale, Soup Supper, and Christmas Bazaar. He had an excellent singing voice, which will be missed during the Sunday service.

Dale is survived by his faithful, loving wife of 60 years, Nellie. Dale is also survived by his son Will Lambley (Kelly) of Topeka, daughter Angela Iseli (Terry) of Riley, grandson David Iseli, granddaughters Clara Iseli, Elena Lambley, and great-grandson Jasper.

Dale was preceded in death by his parents, John and Corda Lambley, and his first son, David (stillborn).

Visitation will be on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at the United Methodist Church in Paxico, Kansas, at 9:30 am, followed by Funeral services at 10:30 am. Graveside services will follow at Bethlehem Cemetery on Snokomo Road, 2 miles south of I-70, Exit 335. An after-graveside luncheon will follow at the Paxico Senior Center.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Paxico United Methodist Church or to the Wabaunsee County Historical Society and left in care of the Campanella and Stewart Funeral Home, P. O. Box 48, Wamego, KS 66547.