Dale S. Garee

Dale S. Garee was born in the Bronx, NY, on April 8, 1945, to Dale Garee Sr. and Corinne Sparks Garee. He was a happy and loving child who, from an early age,showed an affinity for reading and socializing with family and friends. Growing up in the beautiful US Virgin Islands he found much to explore and appreciate as he documented the rich history of the islands and enjoyed sharing these nuggets with the tourists that he met as he enjoyed a swim at Magen’s Bay. Family members and those who knew Dale were often impressed by his ability to produce accurate and interesting timelines for major and minor events that occurred in the Islands and abroad. This passion earned him a reputation for being a well-respected “historian”.

Prominent in Dale’s life journey was his love for family. He met his wife Joy on a blind date after she moved to St. Thomas. They married on January 7, 1978, and recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary. He worked very hard to provide a good life for his wife and children, and a caring environment for close family members. This provision was not limited to financial resources, but especially the social and spiritual well-being of those who called him husband and father. He enjoyed sitting around the television with his wife, Joy, as they sipped coffee and watched Turner Classic Movies, PBS, Law and Order, and local and national news. Furthermore, Dale loved eating out. He would often go to the Delly Deck for breakfast, China King for weekly family dinner, or catch up with friends at the local McDonald’s or at the hospital’s cafeteria.

He was also active in his children’s lives as he served as president of the PTA at All Saints Cathedral School as well as Antilles School. Additionally, he still found time to be a Little League baseball coach;later he became the president of the Little League of St Thomas. His love of baseball was something that he nurtured from his days in the Bronx until the day he died, a lifelong Yankees fan.

Equally important to Dale was the spiritual well-being of his family. As a practicing Catholic, Dale not only attended mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation, but he served as a religious education teacher, Eucharistic minister, Knights of Columbus, and served on the Pastoral Council. Dale was very proud to be a lay Franciscan. May the work that he has done speak for him.

Also noteworthy was Dale’s love of travelling. His life travels took him on domestic and international adventures. These include but are not limited to: a pilgrimage to Assisi, cruise to Alaska, transatlantic cruise, vacation to Hawaii to see his children, and the many trips to visit family stateside. While travelling he enjoyed exploring the political climate cultivated in each region he visited and was well versed with each. This was another passion that he enjoyed.

Dale’s commitment to excellence in all that he did was not only limited to family but to the community in which he lived. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from St. Michael’s College, he started his civil service career as a social worker in the Southside of Chicago, Illinois. He then returned to St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, and served as a federal probation officer. Subsequently, he worked as a mental health counselor and supervisor at the Virgin Islands Dept. of Health. He then continued working as the program health manager for the VI Dept. of Education and was instrumental in developing the HIV/AIDS education curriculum. Dale was a believer in lifelong learning, continuing to take graduate level classes on the mainland and at the University of the Virgin Islands.

He received recognition for being a successful large sum grant writer, securing over a million dollar grant for HIV/AIDS education curriculum development for the VI Dept. of Education. Dale successfully lobbied for mandatory seatbelt legislation while working at the Dept. of Highway Safety. He was a charter member of the Rotary Club of St Thomas, also serving as president and was a Paul Harris fellow recipient. He was also an active member of the Friends of Denmark Society, alongside his wife, mother, and brothers.

Dale was called home on January 19, 2023 in San Antonio, Texas, where he had moved in the last few years of his life. This move brought him closer to his immediate family, especially his grandchildren Jacob and Gianna. Jacob had a special connection with his ‘Lolo’ Dale. Both grandfather and grandson lighting up whenever they saw each other. Dale has now been reunited with his father Dale Garee, Sr., his mother Corinne Sparks Garee Lockhart, his stepfather Herbert E. Lockhart, Jr, and brothers Herbert E. Lockhart, III, and Ronald Lockhart.

He leaves behind his beloved family; his wife Joy Garee, his children, Jade Garee-Dexter, MD, (husband Sean Dexter) and Ward Garee (partner AloniaAlabanza), his grandchildren, Jacob and Gianna Dexter, his sister, Catherine Lockhart Mills (husband Don Mills), his brother, Henrik Lockhart (wife Ellen Lockhart), his nieces, Elynne Lockhart and Corinne Mills, goddaughter, Cynthia Gray Barber, and godson,Philip Lloyd. Dale is a proud native Virgin Islander and a member of large families on both sides. These include members of the Garee, Lockhart, Dudley, Grant, Peterson, Goldberg, Williams, Haygood, Pedersen, Hugh, Barbel, Anduze, Gray, Petz, Dutil, Lloyd, Andrews, Gray, Sparks, Adams, Watson, Elskoe, Finch, Andre, Joseph, Francois, Questel, Campbell, and Daniel families. He will be missed by so many, and all will cherish the memories they have created with him.

A visitation for Dale will be held Thursday, February 2, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, with a rosary service at 7:00 PM at Sunset North Funeral Home, 910 North Loop 1604 East, San Antonio, TX 78232. A funeral mass will be held on Friday, February 3, 2023 at 1:00 PM at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, 1602 Thousand Oaks Dr., San Antonio, TX 78232. There will be a link to livestream both the rosary and funeral mass for those who wish to attend virtually.There will be a celebration of life on St. Thomas at a later date with details to follow.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.SunsetNorthFuneralHome.com for the Garee family.

The family welcomes donations to the Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands. Please place Dale’s name in the memo section. Their mailing address is P. O. Box 10736, St. Thomas, VI 00801.