On Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019, Jesus took another angel home after a battle against a rare form of cancer. Dale Arthur (Delmar) Ellerbe born Aug. 5, 1955, in Lakeland, Fla. He graduated from Auburndale High School in 1974. He lived in Lakeland until 1976, when he moved to Naples, Fla., before making Monticello his home in 1981.
Monticello is where he married his wife, Carol Atkinson Ellerbe, and where they raised their children, Emily Jane Atkinson and John Claude Atkinson.
Dale worked the last 15 years with the Board of County Commissioners, as the Courthouse and Annex maintenance keeper, before being transferred to the County Road Department, where he was an inmate supervisor. He also worked with the Supervisor of Elections during election season. Dale was a hard worker, always putting 100 percent into all of his work. He always wanted to please everyone with whatever task they asked of him, and he loved working with children. He was the Dodgers Babe Ruth League baseball coach for several years, and an assistant scout leader with Boy Scout Troop 803. Every child that he met and worked with, he considered and treated like they were his own children and grandchildren (this included spoiling all of them).
Survivors include his wife, Carol Atkinson Ellerbe; daughter, Emily Jane Atkinson; son, John Claude Atkinson (Stacy); grandchildren: Mark Vinson, Katherin Vinson, Haley Atkinson and Dillon Atkinson; sisters, Sheila Mott (Ronnie) and Scherry Witte (Alan), of Lakeland, and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Bessie Ellerbe; brothers, Dalton and Dillon Ellerbe; and sister, Sandra Deese. The love that Dale had for his family was immeasurable.
Arrangements are being handled by Beggs Funeral Home of Monticello, with a funeral service to be held at their Chapel at noon on Thursday, Oct. 17, with a visitation to be held prior to the service, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
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