Daniel Dilts

DILTS, DIVENEY, RAY

Posted By: skipton
Date: 11/16/2011 at 12:25:34

Daniel Dilts, 49, formerly of Columbus Junction, Iowa, now of Chattanooga, Tennessee went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at Chattanooga Memorial Hospital after a long battle with cancer.

Dan was born on May 9, 1962 in Iowa City, Iowa to John and Sue Diveney Dilts, formerly of Columbus Junction. Dan attended school at Columbus Junction where he graduated. He was active in basketball and football.

Dan married Joy Ray of Chattanooga, TN on April 7, 1984. They have a boy named Jonathan and a girl named Kaylan whom he is survived by. He is also survived by Jonathan’s wife, Elizabeth and three-month-old son, Gideon Daniel, all of Chattanooga; his mother, Sue Dilts of Mt. Juliet, TN; and three brothers, James and his wife, Pam of Old Hickory, TN; Doug Dilts and his wife, Tonya: and Ed Dilts and his wife, Christine, all from Mt. Juliet, TN. He is also survived by his father-in-law and mother-in-law, James and Mary Ray of Chattanooga, TN; a brother-in-law, Jim Ray and his family of Nashville, TN.; and many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins, many of whom came to the funeral from Iowa and Illinois.

Dan was preceded in death by his father, John Dilts.

Dan was employed by Federal Express for over twenty years. He loved NASCAR, golfing, and was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan, but his greatest love was his God and his family. Dan and his family attended Grace Baptist Church for over twenty years where he served as a Deacon and a member of the School Board. He was also a member of the Ambassadors’ class at Grace Baptist Church.

Visitation was held at Chattanooga Funeral Home where you can go online and leave messages to the family. Funeral services were held at Grace Baptist Church on November 12, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. with opening remarks by Fred Bennett and Remembrances were by his son, Jonathan and Chris Shellnut, with closing remarks by Pastor Euler, and then “The Lord’s Prayer” was sung by Fred Holcomb.

Burial services were held at Hamilton Memorial Gardens in Hixon, TN. by his father-in-law, James Ray. Dan’s son, Jonathan, is a fireman and as the funeral procession came into the cemetery, fire trucks were there and firemen were standing at attention in honor of Dan, which was quite moving.

Dan will be greatly missed by all who knew him and loved him. Dan’s verse he wanted to leave with everyone is Deuteronomy, 6:5: “Love Thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”