Jackie "Jack" Ray Dale

Jackie Ray Dale, 63, of Hilham, passed away peacefully on Thursday January 18, 2024 at his home.

Jack was born on July 26, 1960 to Earl Ray and Alberta Ann (Dixon) Dale in Jackson County, TN. As a young boy, he enjoyed spending time in the woods with six neighborhood friends who remain close friends today. He spent time at his grandparents’ homes in Hilham and Burristown and helped his dad at the furniture store in Livingston. As he got older, his weekends were spent working the auction with his dad.

During his school years, he enjoyed playing all kinds of ball, but mostly football. He graduated from Livingston Academy in 1978. He held several different jobs until he moved back to Livingston where he was self-employed as a contractor for many years. In 2020 he found great pride and joy in a new venture teaching Building Construction Technology at TCAT in Livingston. He enjoyed teaching tremendously and was dedicated to forging relationships with his students to ensure they could achieve their full potential both in and out of the classroom. While he would never want recognition for his actions, he was known to pay transportation costs and buy supplies to make sure that his students had what they needed to be successful. During his tenure at TCAT, several of his students attended SkillsUSA. In what his coworkers describe as unheard of, two years in a row, Jack’s students won SkillsUSA at the state level, qualifying for national competition.

In his free time, he enjoyed golfing, watching football, playing with his grand kids, and of course, cutting up and making others laugh. If you knew Jack, you knew that he lit up a room with laughter and light nearly every time he walked in. He never met a stranger and left a lasting impact on nearly every person he met. I am sure we all have our own stories of things Jack did or said that we all know no one other than Jack Dale could get away with.

He was a member of Hilham Union Church and was active in the Emmaus of the Upper Cumberland's community. Jack was able to meet people where they were in their Christian walk and was a true reflection of the love of Christ. He genuinely loved people and wanted you to know about the Lord. He was a Kingdom filler and a true Disciple of Jesus.

Jack was preceded in death by his daughter, Megan Alexandria Dale; father, Earl Ray Dale; uncle Bobby Dale and aunt Reba Gaw. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Ann Dale, his sons, Jacob (Kelly) Dale, Andrew Dale, Matthew (Vanessa) Dale, William Nathan (Lauren) Dale, and daughter April (Chris) Looper. He is also survived by his mother Alberta Dale, brother David (Patty) Dale, sister Rebekah (Brian) Glazier, his uncle Alton Dixon, his aunt Ruth Dale, as well as grandchildren Hunter and Hayden Dale, Ashlyn and Gracelyn Dale, Kingston and Drew Dale, Mercy and Harrison Dale, and Jonathan and Will Looper, and a host of nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at the Hooper, Huddleston, & Horner Funeral Home on North Jefferson Ave in Cookeville, TN on Tuesday, January 23 at 1 pm. The family will receive friends and family on Monday, January 22 from 4-8 pm and on Tuesday, January 23 from 11 am - 1 pm. Brother Marty Kirk will officiate. Tom Stephens, John West, Jack Glasscock, Steve Moody, Jeff Crawford, and JJ Hollars will serve as pallbearers with Scott Gore, David Sadler, Zach Gantt, Jeff Slagle, and Rick Looper as honorary pallbearers. Entombment will follow in the Crest Lawn Memorial Cemetery Mausoleum, Cookeville, Tennessee.

In lieu of gifts and flowers, the family requests donations to be made at any First National Bank of Tennessee office to the “Nathan Dale to the benefit of Jack Dale memorial” account. These donations will be used towards a memorial fund for supplies for students of the Building Construction Technology Program at TCAT

Hooper Huddleston and Horner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. (931)526-6111 Share condolences and memories at www.hhhfunerals.com