Roger Dale Bailey
by: Dwayne PageApr 22, 2025
Roger Dale Bailey age 66 of Smithville, has forever departed from this earth to spend eternity in the arms of Jesus peacefully on Sunday morning, April 20, 2025.
Dale was born Saturday, May 31, 1958, to his parents the late Audie Lee and Willie Jean Vassar Bailey, Jr.
He was welcomed to Heaven by his loving parents, Audie and Jean; sisters, Glenda Sue Ford, Janet Kay Lattimore, Kathy Jewel White and Nancy Lee Bailey. He was also preceded in death by his nephews Michael and Jeff Ford; father and mother-in-law, James and Mae Lattimore; brothers-in-law, David and Brad Lattimore, Tim Martin and Mike Ford; he is also reunited with his best friend “Buster.”
Mr. Bailey leaves to cherish his memory, his strong, loving wife of 41 years, Kathy Marie Bailey of Smithville; also surviving are nieces and nephews, that doubled as his caregivers for the last couple years Rachel (Billy) Anderson, Ashley (Jason) Satterfield, Amanda (Steven) Ferrell and Tyler McCloud; three sisters, Pat Ford (Robert Rowe), Faye Martin, and Reba (Brian) Scott; brother-in-law, Rick Lattimore; sister-in-law, Barbara (Harold) Burton.
Roger Dale will also be remembered by several nieces, nephews, cousins, fellow church members, friends and other family.
Roger Dale was a member of Faith Baptist Church and was a firm believer in the Lord. He served in the National Guard as a “Scout” from 1980 -1986. After retiring from the work life at the age of 62, Dale enjoyed spending time with Kathy and family, having picnics at the park, listening to Hank, telling jokes, watching westerns and serving the Lord. Dale will truly be missed by ALL who knew him.
Funeral services will be 4 PM Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at DeKalb Funeral Chapel with Bro. Al Mahan officiating and burial to follow in DeKalb Cemetery with Military Honors conducted by the Veterans Honor Guard. Visitation will be Tuesday 11:AM till 8 PM and on Wednesday 10:AM until the time of the service at 4 PM. The family would like to express a special “Thank You” to all of Mr. Bailey’s caregivers at Woodbury Health and Rehabilition Center. The family ask that donations be made to Shriners in memory of Mr. Bailey. DeKalb Funeral Chapel is honored to care for the Bailey family.
Deanda Marie George
by: Dwayne PageApr 16, 2025
Deanda Marie George age 63, of McMinnville passed away Tuesday morning April 15, 2025, at her residence. She was born July 13, 1961, to her father, the late Floyd George. In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by sisters, Shelia Adamson, Carolyn Colegrove and Jackie Burton; nephew, B. J. Burton; aunt, Cindy Travis; uncle, Timmy George. Ms. George was a Baptist and worked as a cashier at convenient stores. She is survived by children, Charlotte Reeder (Tony Petty) of Smithville, Tina Reeder of McMinnville; soulmate, David Smith of McMinnville; grandchildren, Jennifer Barnes (Luis Vargas), Hunter Barnes, Austin and Justin Myers, Tiffany and Katie West, Megan King, Haley Rutledge (Jagger McCormick); great-grandchildren, Serenity Turner, Colson King, Faylynn King, Kaizyn McCormick; uncle Wayne (Lynn) George of Ashland City; sister Patricia Smith of Murfreesboro. Graveside service and internment will be held 4 PM Thursday April 17, 2025, at DeKalb Cemetery with Bro. Michael Hale officiating. No visitation or services will be held at the funeral home. Family and friends will meet at DeKalb Cemetery at 4 PM for graveside service. The family ask that donations be made to DeKalb Funeral Chapel to help with funeral expenses. DeKalb Funeral Chapel is honored to care for the George family
David Edward, (Dave) Darrah
by: Dwayne PageApr 14, 2025
David Edward, (Dave) Darrah, 88, was born in Marietta, Ohio, on December 10, 1936, to
his parents, George William and Geneva Dye Darrah and died peacefully on April 1, 2025, at the Webb House in Smithville, Tennessee. He was a faithful member of the Smithville Church of Christ.
Dave graduated from Marietta High School in 1954, and in subsequent years attended
Harding College in Searcy, Arkansas, and Ohio State University. After changing majors several times and still being indecisive about a career choice, he dropped out and went to work as a lineman for Bell Telephone while he waited to be called for the draft. It was his three years in the Army that Dave attributed as finally giving his life direction. As a non-combatant, he was assigned to the medical corps–and found his calling. He was stationed at a military hospital at
Canal Zone, Panama. There, one of his assignments was Vaccinating the indigenous Cuna Indians in the San Blas Islands. The two years in Panama and an additional year at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., fixed his determination to pursue a career as a medical missionary. Church had always played a large part in his life and this seemed like a perfect fit.
In 1969 Dave fulfilled one of his dreams and graduated from the University of Tennessee
Medical School in Memphis. Another dream was soon to be fulfilled. As a kid, Dave had always been fascinated by planes and flying. He spent hours building model planes and even trying to assemble motorized models. He longed to be able to fly a real plane. After completing his medical internship in Memphis, Dave worked briefly for Planned Parenthood and serendipitously met a classmate who was also a flight instructor. Thus, he learned to fly and got his private pilot’s license, a hobby he enjoyed for many years.
After completing his residency in family practice at the University of Tennessee in
Knoxville, he joined a medical group in Gallatin and worked there until he opened his own
medical office in Alexandria in 1977. There he practiced for the next 25 years. He was a typical country doctor, delivering babies and making house calls. It was during the years in Alexandria that another of his goals came to fruition–the goal of doing medical missions.
Prophetically, his first mission was to Panama where he had started out as an army medic so many years before.
He influenced the first Church of Christ medical mission to the San Blas Islands. Through the years, Dave was sometimes accompanied on his mission trips by his entire family, including his grandchildren. For the next forty years he made multiple mission trips to more than 25 countries.
Although he was a zealous worker wherever he served, Hope for Haiti’s Children was the mission closest to his heart.
Dave was interested in civic affairs and served on the Smithville Airport Board as well as the Ascension Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital board. He was a past President of the Tennessee Academy of Family Physicians. He loved the Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree, going to the lake, and took up scuba diving after he retired. One of his greatest joys was spending time with his family and friends. He especially enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren participate in events from the Pinewood Derby to rodeo to basketball to soccer to family scuba diving trips.
In addition to his parents Dave was predeceased by his brother, Joseph William Darrah
of Smithville. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Marsha Young Darrah and his daughters, Jane (Rob) Ramsey and Kate (Billy) Miller and grandchildren Jake and Darrah Ramsey and Bill and Cameron Miller all of Smithville. He is also survived by sister-in-law, Carol Darrah of Cookeville and by several nieces, nephews and cousins.
The family is grateful to Dr. Hugh Don Cripps and his staff and Lora Webb and staff of
the Webb House and the Gentiva Hospice staff for the wonderful care they gave Dave during his last year.
From the time he was a medical student, Dave determined that upon his death he wanted his body to be donated to the University of Tennessee Medical School for the use of
future medical students.
Interment in Smithville Town Cemetery will occur at a later date. A memorial service will take place at Love-Cantrell Funeral Home on Saturday, April 12th at 6pm.
The family will receive visitors from 4pm until the time of the service. Memorials may be made to Hope for Haiti’s Children, PO Box 62328 Cincinnati, OH 45262-0328 or the Smithville Town Cemetery Association, 300 East Main Street, Smithville TN 37166.
Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.