Dale Eugene Wankel

Dale Eugene Wankel, age 82, passed away on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, in Canton, GA.

Dale was the first born of four brothers, born on July 7, 1942, in Beardstown, IL to Floyd and Viola Wankel.

The family moved from Beardstown, IL to Fort Wayne, IN in 1956. From Indiana, they moved to Orlando, FL in 1959 and attended Orlando First Church of the Nazarene, where Dale met his ‘sweetie’, Marie. They married on February 10, 1962. They celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary this past February and they had 3 daughters: Debbie, Tami and Dana.

Dale worked several odd jobs before going into the trucking industry as an Owner-Operator. He drove cross country many times! He then got on with Chevron in 1975 and then with Frito Lay a few years later. He retired from Frito Lay in 1999 when he and Marie moved to Woodstock, GA to be closer to family. After the move to GA, he worked for ABF and retired from trucking in 2011.

Dale never met a stranger. Even after his mom passed away in 2013, he continued visiting the assisted living and nursing home facilities where she had lived and visited with friends he had made while visiting her. He had friends at Publix and Walgreens that he met on his daily walks around the Publix shopping center in Canton…who still ask about him!

Dale was a member of the John W. Akin Lodge in Taylorsville, GA. He not only attended lodge meetings there, but all surrounding lodges. He was limited on how much he could physically help with fundraisers and community events due to a back injury, but he was always there for moral support and helped any way he could.

Dale and Marie attended Grace Church in Canton, GA and became very good friends with Pastor Robie Hembree, who was also their neighbor. He loved conversing with him about his faith, trucking and his family….he was very proud of his ‘girls’.

Dale also loved talking on the phone, family gatherings, anything ‘lemon’ and Orange Blossom honey. At one point, in the 70’s, he became a part-time beekeeper. He had quite a few bee hives that he built himself and loved extracting honey! Although, we think he enjoyed giving it away more than eating it! After the move to GA, he would make annual trips back to FL just to bring back cases of jars of honey…to not only eat, but to give away. He got much joy out of that!

Dale loved the ‘old’ classic country music like Merle Haggard, George Jones and Tammy Wynette, but the older he got the more he preferred southern gospel music. He and Marie watched Jimmy Swaggart faithfully in his last days, along with his all-time favorites, Andy Griffith and Bonanza.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, June 28, 2025 at 1:00 PM at Grace Church (1160 Butterworth Road, Canton, GA. 30114

There will be no public visitation before the Memorial Service.

Dale is preceded in death by his father, Floyd and his mother, Viola; his paternal grandparents, Harry and Louise Wankel and his maternal grandparents, George and Grace Jockisch and his niece, Suzanna Wankel.

Dale is survived by his wife; Marie; his daughters, Deborah (Bill), Tamara (Rodney) and Dana (Joe); his grandchildren, Amanda (Kris), Brittany (Devin), Bradley (Kayla), Andrew (Gianna), Cole, Caleb and Leah; his great-grandchildren, Oakley, Emmett and Rowan; his brothers, Roger (Teresa), Donald (Donnie) and Robert (Julie); as well as nephews, a niece, great-nieces, great-nephews and many cousins.

Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying..." John 11:25 (NLT)

Donations can be made to Shriner Children’s Hospital at www.shrinerschildrens.org in Dale’s honor.

South Canton Funeral Home, dedicated to the families we serve, 770-479-3377. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.thescfh.com