Portrait of Dale Gann. IMB Photo

Dale Marvin Gann, an International Mission Board missionary emeritus who shared the gospel in Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi, died Dec. 17, 2024, in Columbia, Missouri. He was 87.  

Dale was born April 5, 1937, in Sparta, Missouri, to the late Charley Leo and Zelma Gann. He graduated from Sparta High School; attended Southwest Baptist University, Bolivar; and received the Bachelor of Arts from Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University), Springfield; and the Bachelor of Divinity from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Missouri. 

He grew up in a Christian home and came to faith as a child. During his high school years, he had a growing awareness that God was calling him to preach the gospel. One night on the way home from an associational youth rally, he dedicated himself to preach the gospel of Christ. Not long after this, he began to preach. In the fall of 1955, he entered college and became engaged to his high school sweetheart, Nelda Plank. They were married on June 3, 1956.  

During college, Dale and Nelda began to seriously consider that God might want them to serve on a foreign mission field and began praying together about this. While applying to seminary, Dale came to the question of what type of Christian work he planned to do. While seeking missionary appointment he wrote, “Nelda and I had made no public commitment to foreign mission service at this time, but we both felt that this had to be the answer in order to be honest with ourselves and God. My calling to be a foreign missionary was a growing awareness that finally demanded a decision.” 

In 1964, the International Mission Board appointed Dale and Nelda missionaries to Tanzania. In Arusha, he taught classes and was the dean of students at the Baptist seminary. They also served in Kenya and Burundi.  

Dale was preceded in death by Nelda, his wife of 64 years, and his son, Monte Gann. 

He is survived by his daughter, Joy Burnett (Doug) of Paris, Missouri; daughter-in-law, Cindy Gann of Belton, Missouri; nine grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. 

A funeral service was held Dec. 28 at First Baptist Church Ozark, Missouri, with burial in Sparta Cemetery.  

Donations in his memory may be made to the Lottie Moon Offering, IMB, 3806 Monument Avenue, Richmond, VA, 23230, or online at Generosity Resource Center – IMB Generosity. 

Read an obituary here.