James T. Dale

James Thomas Dale, age 70, of Waleska, died Wednesday, February 22, 2017. A celebration of life service will be held Saturday, February 25, 11am at Winkenhofer Pine Ridge Funeral Home in Kennesaw with Rev. Lamar Truitt officiating.

Born November 3, 1946 to Thomas L. and Sara J. Dale of Hogansville, GA, Mr. Dale graduated from Hogansville H.S. in 1964. He furthered his education at West Georgia College, class of 1969, as well completing his graduate studies at West Georgia in 1984. James lived in Hogansville for 18 years before coming to Kennesaw where he had lived for 30 years and then to his current residence of Waleska where he had resided for the past 14 plus years.

Mr. Dale served in the US Air Force from 1969-73 as a Military Historian. History was his passion. He was employed with the US Army Reserve Command, Ft. McPherson, GA as a Management Analyst and retired in 2003. Service men never quite serving, James volunteered in each community he lived in beginning in Hogansville. Having tremendous journalism skills, Mr. Dale wrote a column for the Hogansville Herald and West Georgia Beacon newspapers for several years and was a published author, writing Neon Through the Pines, in 2012 which detailed growing up in the South. Also wrote and edited an update to the official Fort McPherson History in 2002. Volunteerism best described James. He was active with many organizations: Vice Chairman of the Kennesaw Mountain Historical Association Executive Board, charter member and historian of the Army in Atlanta Museum Association Board, charter member of the National Museum of the US Army, member of the Sons of the Confederate Veterans Marietta, GA Camp (served as Editor and Second Lieutenant Commander), member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Canton, GA (served as secretary). A true history buff, James conducted US Army Military Staff Rides for Officers and NCOs at various Civil War battlefields for the US Army Reserve Command Office of the Historian. Instructed Military History Detachment training for Office of the Historian US Army Reserve Command and Center for Military History, Ft. Belvoir, VA. Member of an Engineer Civil War reenactment unit, performed living history at Reinhardt University and the Ft. McPherson Army in Atlanta Museum. His other hobbies included plastic model building and guitar.

Survivors include his wife Yvonne Martin Dale originally from Calhoun, GA; daughter Emily Dale Tanner, granddaughters Audrey, Madelyn, and Delilah, son in law James Tanner, all of Kennesaw. Stepson Brant R. Strickland and wife Holli Kyle of Duluth and stepdaughter Yvette Strickland of Decatur. Brother in laws James F. Martin of Atlanta, H.J. (Butch) Martin of Demorest, and David M. (Mike) Martin of Germany.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the National Museum of the US Army, 2425 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201 or St James Methodist Church, Granite Street, Hogansville, GA 30230.