After a short illness, Dale Gash passed away early in the morning of Oct. 14, 2021 peacefully in his sleep with his beloved wife, Delores Dee by his side and his family nearby.
Born June 19, 1941 in Chicago, Illinois, at the age of four moved to Irvington, New Jersey, where his father worked for Lionel Train Company. When he was 12, Dale’s family left the cold North and settled in the warm and sunny climate of Miami, Florida. He and his best friend always found fun things to do, camping and exploring in the Everglades, riding their bikes and paddling canoes.
Dale began working at an early age alongside his father who was an electrical and mechanical engineer for a startup company, Visual Graphics. After finishing school, he returned to Visual Graphics, which had grown from its humble roots into a large facility with many employees.
After losing both of his parents before he turned 30, Dale made the decision to move to the North Carolina mountains near Murphy to start anew. He built a shop and specialized in making cabinets and fine custom furniture in the Culberson area. Before long he met a young widow with two young children and found that they were exactly what he was looking for. When the housing market slumped, Dale moved his family to Betty’s Creek West of Dillard and worked as a mechanical engineer for Sangamo Weston until its closing. After a brief stint at the A.I.D. Corporation, just outside of Clayton, Dale opened his own business, Gash Tool Company and specialized in one-of-a-kind tooling for the textile industry, which he operated until the end of his life.
Dale was the original dad joke teller and loved to hear the groans of his victims. Affectionately titled as both “Grampy” and “Papa” to his grandkids, he was also known to be a champion napper, able to sleep in almost any locale with enough support. He happily shared his love of history with his grandkids and especially his fascination with aircraft. He was a closeted Rock-N-Roll guitar player and shared his love of music with those kids (even the adult sized ones) inclined to listen. It’s a tossup between which will last the longest, the well-made items he crafted with love or the stories or humor and love he engineered throughout his life.
Dale is preceded in death by his parents, Abram Dale and Gladys Huffman Gash. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Delores (Dee) Hughes Gash, three children, Traci Burrell (Tamara Henderson), Kim Odom (Jeff), and Heidi Kirby (Tony); grandchildren, Holly Burrell, Ian Burrell, Ryan Henderson, Myles Henderson, Brittany Martin (Ethan) Zack Odom (Madison), Tyler Odom, Morgan Kirby, Daniel Kirby, Tony R. Kirby (Michelle), Terry Kirby, and Jennifer Kinnemore (Michael).
A memorial service was held Tuesday Oct. 19, at Beck Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Ross Wheeler officiating. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to Four Seasons Hospice at S. Allen St., Flat Rock, N.C., 28731.
Beck Funeral Home in Clayton was in charge of the arrangements. If there are any questions, please call (706) 782-9599. An online Memorial Register Book is available at beckfuneralhome.com.