Dale Wayne Rufenacht

Dale Wayne Rufenacht, 79, of Amarillo, TX died July 16, 2024. 

Visitation will be from 6-7:00 P.M., Thursday, July 18, 2024, at Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2800 Paramount Blvd. 

Services will be at 10:00 a.m., Friday, July 19, 2024, at First Baptist Church with Dr. Howard K. Batson officiating. Burial will be at Llano Cemetery. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2800 Paramount Blvd. 

Dale was born in 1945 in Ransom, Kansas and was raised on a farm outside Ness City, Kansas. He attended Ness City High School where he excelled in football and basketball, graduating in 1963. Upon graduation he moved to Wichita, Kansas where he attended Wichita State University, graduating with a BBA in Accounting in 1967. He then attended the University of Kansas School of Law where he earned his J.D. in 1973, passing the bar exam in Texas and Kansas thereafter. Dale then moved to Amarillo, Texas where he married Cindy Moates of Childress, Texas in 1989 and started a family. Dale and Cindy would have celebrated 35 years on July 22, 2024. 

He had a successful career in the oil and gas industry that spanned nearly 50 years. He began his career at Phillips Petroleum Company in Amarillo in 1973. He urged his friend from law school, Mel Stapleton, to join him at Phillips soon after. Both from Kansas, low on funds, and not knowing many people, they would go on “Red Eye” ski trips and create many memories that would be told many times over. In the early 1980s he met Rob McGarraugh of Perryton, TX and they both decided to go out on their own, forming a “handshake” partnership and friendship. Dale founded Questa Energy Corporation, an independent oil and gas producer where he operated several hundred oil and gas properties during his career and developed and expanded oil and gas fields in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, along with Rob’s company, Badger Operations, LLC. He was constantly working behind the scenes, fighting for local oil and gas producers. In 2008 he was voted Boss of the Year by the Desk and Derrick Club of Amarillo. 

His other business interests include real estate, most notably he co-developed The French Village in Sleepy Hollow, as well as building homes in Tutbury, Spring Lake and Sleepy Hollow, along with his partner and friend Artur Budzynski. He also loved playing in the stock market, spending many hours in his office researching new companies to invest in. 

Dale had many hobbies and loved to travel around the world to pursue them. He was an avid pilot, sky diver, scuba diver, skier, water skier, golfer, racehorse owner, and sailor, among others. He especially loved sailing because his family and friends could join him on his adventures. He held certifications as a sailboat captain and took his loved ones on trips all over the world, including Chesapeake Bay, Lake Michigan, Rhode Island, Bahamas, BVI’s, USVI’s, The Grenadines, French West Indies and The French Riviera to name a few. Many of these places were so enjoyable they went numerous times. On one especially memorable trip, he sailed with Artur Budzynski from Newport, Rhode Island to St. Marteen with a single stop in Bermuda. This trip was treacherous, as they encountered rough weather and large waves, coming back with a dislocated shoulder and 10 pounds lighter, he was very glad to have not brought his family on this one. 

Dale was a dedicated father and grandad. He loved to help coach youth sports, including baseball, basketball, football, and even soccer despite not knowing anything about the sport. He never missed a game. He also enjoyed golfing with his sons & grandsons over the years. 

The family home in Colorado was also a very special place to Dale. He liked to visit in the winter months, but especially loved the summertime when he could sit on the balcony and enjoy the phenomenal view while reading the newspaper. Many memories were formed here where they had celebrations with family and friends including Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, birthdays, and family reunions. 

He was a very generous person, having given back to various charities, organizations, individuals and families, most of the time anonymously so as not to draw attention to himself. His optimism, modesty and strong work ethic was a product of his upbringing on the family farm; he remained a Kansas farm boy at heart. 

Dale was preceded in death by his parents Ray and Audrey Rufenacht, Stepmother Minnie Rufenacht, brother Gary Rufenacht, brother-in-law Jerome Steffan, stepbrother Jerry Michaelis, stepsister Shirley Schweitzer, step sister-in-law Sandra Michaelis. 

He is survived by his wife Cindy Rufenacht, his Son Tyler Rufenacht and wife Jordan of Amarillo, TX, son Nick Compton and wife Danielle of Amarillo, TX, Grandsons Toryn Allen of Lubbock, TX and Landon Holbrook of Amarillo, TX, soon to be granddaughter Parker Grace Rufenacht of Amarillo, brother Howard Rufenacht of Wichita, KS, sister Della Steffan of Lyons, KS, 3 step brothers, DeWayne Michaelis and Wade Michaelis and wife Gayla of Ness City, and James Michaelis and wife Deanna, of Bazine, KS, as well as many dear cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. 

In lieu of flowers please send donations to Kidsinc.org/donate.