Thomas Dale Waddell Sr.

Dale was born January 28, 1933 in Mason County, TX to E.L. "Buck" and Susie Waddell; he also had an older brother, Cole Waddell.

He is survived by his children, Tom Waddell of San Angelo and Penny Yerena of Saginaw; two wonderful grandchildren, Cam Snow of San Antonio and Ashli Kaczor of Saginaw, her husband Tim, and two beautiful and amazing great-grandchildren, Addy and Ruby.

Also, Dale is survived by the his "poor little doggie" Roxie, a very spoiled miniature Pinscher.

In addition to his immediate family, Dale is survived by numerous cousins and also four nieces, Colleen, Suzette, Christie and Yvette, all of Utah.

Dale spent most of his young life and teenage years moving around Central Texas and the Hill Country, a result of his father's job as a ranch manager and rancher. He graduated from Lampasas High School in 1950 and joined the Air Force. After completing his tour with the Air Force, Dale moved to Rocksprings, TX to live with his parents.

In Rocksprings, he met the love of his life, Nellie Ray Ellis and they were married July 28, 1956. They moved from Rocksprings to Harper, TX and then to Kerrville, where Dale worked for Mooney Aircraft for a number of years. In 1971, the family moved to San Angelo where Dale worked for Mitsubishi Aircraft until 1986; Dale and Nell then moved to Cedar Hill, TX where Dale worked for Associated Aircraft until his retirement in 1998. The couple then returned to the family home in Grape Creek, then moved into San Angelo.

Dale was always a huge fan of country music. He wrote country songs and sang both his own material as well as any other country song. He played the fiddle and sang in numerous bands in Central and West Texas, having learned how to play just about any stringed instrument during his stint in the Air Force. Dale recorded his own music and even had a small music studio in his home.

The family would like to acknowledge a special cousin, Donald Sanders, who always brightened Dale's day with his Saturday night phone calls, and his oldest niece Colleen Weaver, who always had the most kind and thoughtful words for Dale and always made him smile.

Dale was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, his sister-in-law Dorothy, and a daughter, Tommie Nell.

He is also preceded in death by his wife, Nell. He missed her every single day since her death in 2008.

The family would like to thank Dr. James Melott for his advice and patience and the staffs of Shannon Hospital, St. John's skilled nursing and Baptist Memorial skilled nursing for all their assistance.

Services will be Thursday, Dec. 29th, 2011 at Johnson's Funeral Home at 10 a.m. with burial to follow at the Rocksprings cemetery at 2:30.

Family and friends may sign an online guestbook at johnsons-funeralhome.com

Arrangements under the direction of Johnson's Funeral Home, San Angelo, TX.