James David Dickson

James David "Nandad" Dickson age 72 of Huntsville, Alabama passed away March 8", 2024. Visitation will be held Sunday March 17th, 2024, at Valhalla Funeral Home from 1:00pm - 3:00pm with the service to follow at 3:00 o'clock.

David was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Jewell Dickson, brothers Kenneth and Charles and sister Peggy.

He is survived by his wife, Sammie Dickson, Daughters Christi Thompson (Richard) and Melissa Nixon (Scott) and Stepdaughter Penny Mayhall. Grandchildren, James Watson, Colton Mayhall, Tyler Thompson, Carrie Mayhall, Dalton Nixon, Jory Thompson, and Payne Nixon, as well as 9 Great-Grandchildren.

David is fondly known as Nandad, he was born to Ralph and Jewell Dickson on April 20th, 1951, in Huntsville, Alabama. At the age of 13, he began working at Mundy's grocery store on Meridian Street in Huntsville. For many years he continued to work in the grocery store and drug store industries. In 1974 he moved his family to Marietta Georgia where he became the youngest manager ever for that Drug store chain. After returning to Huntsville to be closer to his family, he worked a short time at Piggly Wiggly before moving to the manufacturing industry when he began work at Automatic Electric. In 1983, He left there for Chrysler Corporation where he worked his way up to Maintenance Supervisor and retired as the only executive to ever hold that position without a college degree. He was once asked; how can you be a maintenance supervisor when you don't know maintenance. His response was simple, I don't have to know how to fix it, I just have to know how to get them to do the work. And he did, David was very loved by his Chrysler family and continued to stay in touch with many of his past coworkers until the end.

Aside from his love of Alabama Football and the Atlanta Braves, he had a love of all sports but none more than the ones his grandchildren and great grandchildren played. Watching and playing with his Grandkids and Great grandkids was the highlight of his life. Anyone that knew him knew how much love he had for his family and friends.