I'm not gonna talk about what a great man my dad was or wasn't.  You either 
loved him, hated him or just didn't know what to think of him.  We will all 
choose to remember him in different ways and we all have stories to tell.  
After my parents divorced and my dad moved away, we grew apart. I didn't agree 
with his way of living and things he'd done and I didn't have much to do with 
him.  He had his faults and by far was not perfect man but he was still my dad. 
Colossians 3:13 says- bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you 
may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  So I truly 
forgave my dad several years ago and I thank God for allowing us to build a 
relationship back.   I just wish we had more time.  Over the past couple of 
years he started realizing how alone he was and that he hadn't been there for us 
kids. He wanted to make sure we knew he loved us and that he was sorry.  Every 
time he called and every message he left he always said 'I love you and kiss the 
babies for me'. In that time, he was not only trying to rectify things with us 
but also with God.  For that I am eternally thankful.  
My dad had a tough exterior but on the inside he was a kind hearted man.  He 
would visit the nursing home weekly and was proud of how many he had to pray 
for.  He'd tell me the count every time we spoke.  He was up to 39!  Dad also 
enjoyed making things from painted gourds, wildcats & cardinal stand ups and 
anything else he could come up with.   Growing a garden was something he did and 
did well.  I think he inherited that from Pop and definitely something I didn't 
inherit from him. Besides making pepper relish, pies & of course his famous hobo 
potatoes, dad  loved writing poems and he loved sharing them with all who would 
listen. 
Those that knew my dad knew that he was a bit wild and reckless, to say the 
least, in his earlier days.   There were times that I wasn't sure how he 
survived some of those things, but with the grace of God he always did.   He 
used to say it was the lifestyle of a construction worker.   The devil knocked 
at his door many times and he heard that whistle blow! I say that because my dad 
loved the song 'The Long Black Train' and used to talk to me about it.  I think 
he loved it because of what it says and the life he lived.  He knew he didn't 
wanna be on that train to nowhere, he wanted to be heaven bound.  He found 
victory in The Lord and I know my dad, regardless of his past, found redemption 
and is with God above.   
He's probably already got a garden planted and making pepper relish for everyone 
there. 
I just wanna close by saying, no matter what you've done, no matter how bad 
you've been, our God is a forgiving God as it says in Romans 3, for all have 
sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his 
grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  
My dad is proof of that.  Don't be on that train!

WE WERE SO SORRY TO HEAR OF JOHNNIE'S PASSING MY MOTHER SPOKE OF HIM OFTEN WITH FOND MEMORIES
PAM AND RONALD DAWSON

I was sorry to hear that John had passed away all of you are in my prayers and thoughts.He was a good man.

OBITUARY

John T. Dailey

February 12, 1929 – October 30, 2012

Heady-Radcliffe Funeral Home & Cremation Services

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