Henry “Dale” Johnson passed away peacefully after a long battle with cancer with family present in his Lodi home on January 2, 2018. Dale was born June 26, 1933 to parents Hank and Jul Johnson in a home in Loomis, Nebraska and lived there until the family moved to California in 1942, settling in Turlock. He graduated from Turlock High School in 1951. Dale attended Modesto Junior College and Golden State University, earning his ICC license. He was a Korean War veteran who served in the USAF Strategic Air Command from 1953-57 as a jet mechanic.
After the Air Force, Dale began his full career in freight transportation sales & management, starting at the Santa Fe Railroad Western Headquarters in San Francisco. While living there, he met & married his wife of 56 years, Patricia (Patty). In 1968 they moved to Lodi, where he went on to work for Tillie Lewis Foods and Bay Area Piggyback. Dale was a practicing member of the Interstate Commerce Commission.
Dale was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He loved birds, history, travel, and to be with family. He is survived by his wife Patty, sons Mark (Candy) and Matt (Jessie), as well as grandchildren Sam, Molly, Anders, and Isaac. Dale was an active member of Temple Baptist Church for 45 years, serving on the Boards for Property Management and Children's Education, and he served as a volunteer driver for the American Cancer Society for ten years. The last several years he had been attending First Baptist Church of Lodi.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or the American Cancer Society.
SERVICES
A memorial service will be held Monday, January 22, 2018 at 11:30am at First Baptist Church in Lodi, CA.
INTERMENT
Burial will be private.
Melvina “Mel” Sivils died Sunday the 31st of December at Arbor Rehab and Nursing Home. She was born in 1921 in Arkansas, and was 96 years of age.
Melvina loved to spend time with her family and grandchildren. She volunteered at her grand children’s school for many years. She also enjoyed gardening and had received awards for the vegetables she would grow. Along with gardening she was an avid sewer; she would often quilt blankets and give them to her children and grandchildren. She was an amazing cook and could be found caning fruit and making pickles for her family and neighbors. Melvina loved animals as well, all types. You would often see her surrounded by cats she had taken in, as well as hummingbirds she would feed.
Laura Belle Cassel passed away on December 29, 2017 in Stockton at the age of 89. She was born on July 26, 1928 to Frederick and Laura Golding. She was a loving wife, Mother, and Grandmother, who enjoyed spending time taking care of her family. She lived in Stockton for the past 53 years as a member of 1st Baptist Church of Stockton. She loved baking and cooking for her family with family dinners every Sunday afternoon. She especially loved traveling in the RV and camping. She enjoyed crocheting, needlepoint, sewing, gardening and canning many wonderful fruits and jelly’s. She is survived by her husband of 68 years, Arthur “Gene” Cassel Sr.; children: Carrie Bowlds, Barbara Wilson (Ron), Madge Cassel, Arthur Cassel Jr., Connie Jones (Chip); 10 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, and 3 brothers.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to: Crosstown Community, Camp Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 5097, Stockton, CA 95205 or 1St Baptist Foundation, 3535 N. El Dorado, Stockton, CA 95204