Johnnie Geneva Roden Dole Gambel, of Northport, Alabama, passed away on July 2, 2017 at Capstone Village. An early morning service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 6, 2017, at Memory Chapel Funeral Home with Reverend 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 p.m. at Florence Cemetery, East Tennessee Street, Florence, Lauderdale County, Alabama, with Jack Tucker officiating and Dr. John Murray Potts Jr. closing. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service 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 County, Alabama; her paternal grandparents, Levi W. and Celestial W. Milwee Roden, of Crossville, DeKalb County, Alabama; and her maternal grandparents, William Perry and Emmarintha Eveline Threet Terrell, of Florence, Lauderdale County, Alabama.
Surviving Johnnie is her best friend and husband of 38 incredibly happy years, E. Anthony Gambel; a son, F. Henry “Hank” Dole Jr., of Tonawanda, New York; a daughter, Evelyn Jane Dole, of Warner Robins, Georgia; grandson, Robert Warren Smith III (Stephanie), great-granddaughter, Carolynn Denise Smith, and great-grandson, Steven Sebastian Smith, of Tacoma, Washington; grandson, John Henry Roden Dole and great-granddaughter, Kyla Jaden Dole, and great-grandson, Spencer Aiden Dole, of Bellevue, Nebraska; a nephew, Dr. John Murray Potts Jr. (Susan), of Peachtree City, Georgia; and niece, Cynthia Potts Bibb (Peyton), of Birmingham, Alabama; 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, Alabama. Over the next 15 years, she and her family lived in Bangor, Maine, Easton, Pennsylvania, Buffalo, New York, and Little Rock, Arkansas before their move to Tuscaloosa in May 1959.
She attended classes at the University of Arkansas in 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, Arkansas 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, Kentucky, Mr. Scott Clark, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Mr. Scott Galbraith, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Mr. Randall Olin Long, of Homewood, Alabama, Mr. Robert O. Taylor, of Northport, Alabama, Mr. John Tinklepaugh III, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Mr. Lee Dennis, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Mr. Tom West, of Tuscaloosa Alabama, and Dr. John Murray Potts Jr., of Peachtree City, Georgia.
In lieu of flowers, contributions should be made to the charity of one’s choice.
