Johnnie Roden Dole Gambel

Johnnie Geneva Roden Dole Gambel of Northport, AL passed away on July 2, 2017 at Capstone Village. An early morning service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, July 6, 2017, at Memory Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Scott McQueen officiating, and Memory Chapel Funeral Home, a Dignity Memorial provider directing. Burial will follow a short graveside service in the afternoon at 3:00 p.m. at Florence Cemetery, East Tennessee Street, Florence, Lauderdale Co., AL, with Jack Tucker officiating and Dr. John Murray Potts, Jr. closing. Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the funeral home.

Johnnie was preceded in death by a daughter, her firstborn, Marion Clayton Dole; a son, her lastborn, John Arthur Dole; a brother, William Levi “Little Billy” Roden; her parents John Henry and Eunice Clayton Terrell Roden of Florence, Lauderdale Co., AL; her paternal grandparents, Levi W. and Celestial W. Milwee Roden of Crossville, DeKalb Co., AL; and her maternal grandparents, William Perry and Emmarintha Eveline Threet Terrell of Florence, Lauderdale Co., AL

Surviving Johnnie are her best friend and husband of 38 incredibly happy years, E. Anthony Gambel; a son, F. Henry “Hank” Dole, Jr. of Tonawanda, NY; a daughter, Evelyn Jane Dole of Warner Robins, GA; grandson, Robert Warren Smith III (Stephanie), great-granddaughter, Carolynn Denise Smith, and great-grandson, Steven Sebastian Smith, of Tacoma, WA; grandson, John Henry Roden Dole and great-granddaughter, Kyla Jaden Dole, and great-grandson, Spencer Aiden Dole of Bellevue, NE; a nephew, Dr. John Murray Potts, Jr. (Susan), of Peachtree City, GA, and niece, Cynthia Potts Bibb (Peyton), of Birmingham, AL, and her much-loved cousins-by-the-dozens.

Growing up in Florence, Johnnie graduated from Coffee High School in 1942, and attended Larrimore Business College. Prior to her marriage to Francis Henry Dole, Sr. on April 30, 1944, she worked with TVA in Sheffield, AL. Over the next 15 years, she and her family lived in Bangor, ME; Easton, PA; Buffalo, NY; and Little Rock, AR before their move to Tuscaloosa in May 1959. She attended classes at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, Shelton State Community College, and The University of Alabama. She was active in both the Girl Scouts and the Cub Scouts organizations in Little Rock, AR and Tuscaloosa as both a Girl Scout Leader and Cub Scout Den Mother. In January 1964, she accepted a position with The University of Alabama in the Financial Aids Office and in 1969 she transferred to the College of Engineering where she remained until her retirement on April 1, 1988.

As a compiler of five genealogical books on her ancestors, Rivers Through Time: A Roden Milwee History, Addendum I to Rivers, Considering the Terrell Family, The Threet Collection, and The Gambrell Story (co-authored with Dr. Samuel C. Gambrell, Jr.), Johnnie corresponded far and wide with her extended family.

Pallbearers will include Mr. Bill Bugg of Williamsburg, KY; Mr. Scott Clark of Tuscaloosa, AL; Mr. Scott Galbraith of Tuscaloosa, AL; Mr. Randall Olin Long of Homewood, AL; Mr. Robert O. Taylor of Northport, AL; Mr. John Tinklepaugh, III of Tuscaloosa, AL; Mr. Lee Dennis of Tuscaloosa, AL; Mr. Tom West of Tuscaloosa AL; and Dr. John Murray Potts, Jr. of Peachtree City, GA.

In lieu of flowers, contributions should be made to the charity of one’s choice.