Unearthing the past, shaping the future

At Edgewater, WesleyLife’s community for healthy living in West Des Moines, Iowa, residents often bring rich life stories with them — but few have left a mark on history quite like Dr. Dale Henning.

A renowned archeologist whose career has spanned decades of research, discovery, and teaching, Dale has devoted his life to uncovering the stories of the past. His wife, Barbara, has been at his side throughout much of the journey, offering her own reflections on the passion that has shaped their life together.

“Dale was born with a trowel in his hand,” Barbara says with a smile. From childhood arrowhead finds on his neighborhood street to early encouragement from a dentist neighbor who collected artifacts, Dale’s fascination with archeology took root early.

That fascination became a lifelong calling. After serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War era, Dale pursued graduate study in anthropology at the University of Iowa and the University of Wisconsin. He went on to a career at the University of Missouri, directing the Museum of Anthropology and leading projects across the Midwest. He taught at the University of Nebraska and Luther College as well.

Barbara and Dale Henning photographed in their home in West Des Moines, Iowa, September 2025.

A young Dale Henning in the field.

Co-authored by Dale Henning, Blood Run: The "Silent City" examines the archeological, historical, and cultural significance of Blood Run, a major settlement associated with the Oneota cultural tradition and sustained occupation along the Big Sioux River, straddling what is now Iowa and South Dakota. Henning traces how over time, much of the site’s features were lost or degraded under European-American settlement and agricultural development.

The Iowa Archeological Society published this Festschrift — a commemorative collection of scholarly essays and personal remembrances honoring a respected scholar — in tribute to Dale Henning. 

Among Dale’s most significant contributions: his renowned work at the Blood Run site, a major peaceful trading center for the Ioway and Otoe people between 1300 and 1500. His research there — and advocacy to preserve the site — helped shape modern understanding of the region’s Native cultures.

Even in recent years, Dale’s scholarship continues to resonate. The Iowa Archeological Society recently honored him with a collected volume of papers, with a second volume forthcoming. “Part of my legacy will be in these two volumes, sharing new information that will inform generations of researchers,” Dale says.

But for Dale and Barbara, legacy is about more than archeology. As residents of Edgewater for the past 12 years, they’ve also chosen to invest in the community — and in the future of WesleyLife through an estate commitment to WesleyLife Foundation.

Barbara puts it simply: “It was a sensible thing to do with our money. Our family is taken care of, and we want to be involved with doing good where we live.”

For a man who has given his life to showing how the past informs the future, and for a couple who values the impact of giving, life in a WesleyLife community is a fitting next chapter. Their generosity will help ensure that WesleyLife continues to enrich lives and communities for generations to come.