Willard Dale

Willard Dale, 90, was called home to be with the Lord on Saturday October 5th, 2024.  Born June 12, 1934, in Jolo, West Virginia, Willard, and his (deceased) sweetheart Dixie (Wagner) Dale, moved to Ashtabula County in 1953 where they spent the next [almost] 60 years building a family and creating many lifelong friendships in their community.

Willard loved working on his home, building many additions to their home throughout the years, making wood-working crafts and attending craft shows with Dixie for a time, and finally naming their homestead Dixieland, after her unexpected passing in 2011. Willard also loved sitting on his front porch, talking with neighbors, and watching to see who was flying way too fast down their country dirt road.  He taught all the grandkids how to drive on his tractor and would often be seen taking a wagonload of kids from all around the neighborhood up and down the road on tractor rides.  His favorite thing might have been sneaking the grandkids an ice cream cone for breakfast while Dixie was in the kitchen making the biscuits and gravy they asked for but would be too full to eat. 

Willard worked at Union Carbide for 20+ years, was a member of United Steelworkers and was a member of The Church of Christ in Ashtabula for the majority of his life.

Willard leaves behind 2 children: Lee (Andrea) Dale, and Darlene (John) Gegan;  Grandchildren: Travis (Martha) Dale, Danielle (Ken) Metz, Chad Dale and Cristy Dale; and  Nicholas Tredanaro & Amanda Lanzalaco; and great-grandchildren: Emilie Dale, Jax Metz & Roman Lanzalaco.  And many nieces, nephews and cousins.  Willard is survived by his brother Ronald (Pat) Dale.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Alice & Sam Dale, sister and brother-in-law Geneve (Carl) Keene; brothers and their wives Sam (Priscilla) Dale Jr.; Reva (Don) Perry; Crockett Dale; stepbrothers: Walter & Gene Dale and stepsisters: Dorothy White and Jaunita Johnson. 

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