Dale Lavern Goldsberry

Dale Lavern Goldsberry, 87, of Athens, passed away peacefully on Monday, June 2, 2025, at the Kobacker House in Columbus, Ohio. The family wants to extend a heartfelt thank you to Ohio Health, the caregivers at both the Kobacker House and Willow Brook Communities for their kind hearts and attentiveness to Dale.

Born June 23, 1937, in Millfield, Ohio, Dale was the son of the late Ralph Emerson and Mary Etta Chadwell Goldsberry. He was a 1955 graduate of The Plains High School and a member of the Athens High School Hall of Fame.

Dale’s remarkable work ethic was forged early in life, working alongside his parents, siblings and grandparents. Dale was continually driven by this work ethic, and helped instill it in his children and grandchildren. He was dedicated to providing a good life for his family, which led to the opening of his service station business in 1961 at the corner of East State Street and Morris Avenue in Athens, Ohio. He later moved the station to Court Street, where it will be forever known as Dale’s BP, operating it until 1999 when he sold it to his son, Kevin, and transitioned into a well-deserved retirement.

Dale was an active, dedicated, and proud member of the Athens County Shrine Club and was a Master Mason for 60 years - an impressive tenure and sign of his deep loyalty and dedication to his community. Nothing speaks to Dale’s loyalty more, however, than his marriage to his wife, Ava, for 63 years. He and Ava shared a love for and invested ample time in their passion for athletics, community, and family. They had great love for The Plains and the Athens communities, and were lifelong and fervent fans of both the Bulldogs and the Bobcats. They were avid supporters of Ohio University athletics and were longtime members of the Green and White Club. Their motorhomes could be found tailgating at Bobcat games throughout the Midwest. Dale spent many golf seasons volunteering to transport coach Kermit Blosser and the OU Golf team to their matches.

Ava and Dale enjoyed whatever spare time they had at Athens Country Club, as this community was a major part of their lives for many years. Whether it was playing a round of golf or simply enjoying camaraderie with their fellow members - whatever they were doing, laughter was sure to follow.

Dale and Ava’s love for travel took them to many destinations (and many timeshares) that was grounded in their joy of sharing new experiences together. Their adventures eventually landed them down to Naples, Florida where they spent several happy years - and even more rounds of golf - at Naples Lakes Country Club. True to their roots, Ava and Dale took every opportunity to grow a rich community in Naples, whom they proudly introduced to their family and friends during each visit.

For Dale, his eight grandchildren were a particular source of joy and pride. Dale and Ava didn’t let distance keep them from travelling back to support their grandchildrens’ many interests, whether it was recitals, shows, or sporting events of any type. Dale especially loved it when he learned that his granddaughter, Maggie, had inherited Ava’s gift for baking - delighting in all the goodies that resulted, especially with a healthy scoop of ice cream.

Above all else, Dale loved deeply and cared fiercely with a big and generous heart and copious love for friends and family. He was well-loved, and loved a lot of people. With his warm presence, Dale had a unique way of making everyone around him feel seen, valued, and loved. Even if he didn’t always like saying the words, you knew and felt his love always - whether it was a big bear hug or a “yeah, buddy!”

Dale is survived by three sons, Kevin (Kristi), Mark (Sarah), and Craig (Leslie) Goldsberry; grandchildren, Dustin (Amy), Jake (Phoebe), Ben (Josh), Curtis (Alex), Megan, Maggie (Jack), Darcy, and Alex (Olivia); four great-grandchildren, Saylor, Jonah, Graham, and Miles; three sisters, Karen (Emery) Sheffield, Carol Hawkins, and Charleen (JB) King, sister in law Bonnie Goldsberry, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Along with his parents, Dale was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Ava, in 2020, his two brothers, Ralph E. Goldsberry and Harry F. Goldsberry, his sister in law Doris Goldsberry and his brother-in-law, Greg Hawkins.

Visitation will be held on Saturday afternoon from 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM at the Hughes Funeral Home, followed by a Masonic service at 7 P.M. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM on Sunday, June 8, 2025, at the Hughes Funeral Home in Athens. Burial will be in the Hilltop Cemetery in Millfield, Ohio. A celebration of life for the well-loved couple, Ava and Dale, will take place this fall; additional details to come.

Friends are encouraged to sign the online guestbook at ehwfh.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Dale’s memory to the Athens County Shrine Club via mail (PO Box 161, Athens, Ohio 45701).