Account
Aug 08, 2023
Aug 08, 2023
Dale
Venema
75
74
74 inches
200 lbs
White / Caucasian
Male
On a summer afternoon in Michigan, 74-year-old Dale Albert Venema was last seen on July 14, 2023, embarking on a kayaking trip on Lake Superior from Ontonagon. A resident observed him paddling out onto the lake around 1:00 p.m.. Just over an hour later, the same resident noticed the kayak floating unoccupied and overturned in the vicinity of the Firesteel River, prompting a call to the Michigan State Police Negaunee Regional Dispatch at approximately 2:15 p.m.. This discovery initiated an extensive search for the missing kayaker. Immediate and thorough search efforts were launched involving multiple agencies. The U.S. Coast Guard responded by boat, while troopers from the Michigan State Police Wakefield post began coordinating the search on the ground. The search operation soon expanded to include the Ontonagon County Sheriff's Department, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Service, and the MSP Dive Team. Assistance was also provided by the Ontonagon Harbor Master, Village of Ontonagon employees, and numerous concerned local residents who aided in the efforts. The search for Mr. Venema continued diligently throughout that weekend and beyond, with dive teams returning to the area to scan the waters of Lake Superior. Tragically, after more than a year of uncertainty, the search for Dale Venema came to a somber conclusion. On Sunday, September 22, 2024, a body was discovered in Lake Superior in Ontonagon Township. Two days later, the Ontonagon County Medical Examiner confirmed the remains were those of Dale Venema. The resolution of this case was made possible by the collaborative efforts of numerous organizations, including the Ontonagon County Sheriff's Office, Prosecutor's Office, and Medical Examiner's Office, as well as state and federal agencies and the Wisconsin-based Bruce's Legacy Search and Recovery. Information provided by residents and visitors of Ontonagon also played a crucial role in the recovery. The discovery, while heartbreaking for his family and community, brought an end to a prolonged and painful period of not knowing what had happened to the avid kayaker.
Jul 14, 2023
Ontonagon
Michigan
Ontonagon County
No
127304
Michigan State Police - Neguanee Post
Negaunee
Michigan
Marquette County
49866
180 US Highway 41, Michigan
9064759922
State
Law Enforcement
86-635-23
2023-07-14
Michigan State Police - Neguanee Post
Gray or Partially Gray
Brown
Brown
yes
05/25/2026
