Dale Clayton Looney

Dale Clayton Looney departed this sphere for another on December 6, 2021. A diploma recipient from Andrew Lewis High School and a degree holder from Virginia Tech, Dale worked as a welder for General Electric for 42 years. While there, when he wasn't telling jokes on the factory floor or dangling by his feet performing some tricky welding task, he lead his team in exercise breaks and trained to deliver first aid and CPR. With his wife Barbara, he raised Mary Beth and Rachel in Salem. Small breaks from the work week included tennis with a friend or fishing in Craig County. Retirement didn't slow him down; he just pivoted to work in the post office, collected census data and put in hours in a deli. Throughout his life, he studied things he simply wanted to know more about, focused daily on the Roanoke Times' crossword puzzle and word jumble, fed the birds, tended prolific gardens and took routine walks through his neighborhood and local parks. A longtime member of First Christian Church in Salem, he relished teaching and discussing topics with his Sunday school group. He very much enjoyed bluegrass days at the Salem Senior Center. Dale was a man of conviction and principles. He kept his word. He loved to laugh. He valued the quality of community in his hometown. He will be deeply missed by his brother Neil Looney and Neil's partner Patricia Shockley, daughter Mary Beth, and his best friend, the love of his life, Lova Rosalee Nixon Yarbrough. Instead of a traditional service to celebrate Dale's life, a later, more informal gathering will be planned in conjunction with the installation of a commemorative bench at Green Hill Park.