CIRCULATION'S RODNEY DINGLE PASSES AWAY

 

Rodney Dingle, BJ Circulation city district manager for Barberton and Wayne County, passed away. He was 76.

Rod retired from the BJ on July 31, 2001 with 23 years of service. He began at 44 E. Exchange Street in 1978 about the same time as District Manager Russell Chick, Advertising's Pamela Hughes, photographer Lew Stamp and reporter Steve Hoffman, who was in the same Tower Topic article about BJ newcomers. 

Rod and Ramona Dingle's son Randall Dingle, who lives in Denver, graduated summa cum laude from Kent State in 1999.

Rod’s sister, Daphne, lives in Akron.

Rod was in the Wooster College Sports Hall of Fame. In 1965 Rod was named Ohio Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

Rod was on the Circulation Valor Award Committee to honor BJ carriers. The committee was chaired by Bill Aylward and included Rod, Art Beck, Dennis O’Neil and Jim Luther.

Rod was the first person to win the Beacon’s Best award for service to the BJ. Editor John McMillion and Don Clark presented Rod with the award.

In 1995 Rod joined the late legendary columnist Frances B. Murphey to welcome BJ customers and fans at the Wayne County Fair.

Rod’s brother, Tom Dingle, also was named Ohio Conference Offensive Player of the Year,  to the Wooster College Hall of Fame and was a BJ Circulation district manager.

Rod kept a hand in everywhere. He was on the committee for Akron's Desert Storm Victory March in 1991 and for the BJ Holiday Party at the Civic Theater on December 18, 1994.

Rod's brother Tom Dingle worked in Circulation  before him as a city district manager, leaving in March 1975 for the Gary Post-Tribune to be a circulation city supervisor.  

A service for Rodney will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, March 5, and will be live-streamed on the Stewart & Calhoun Funeral Home website.

Rodney Dingle, age 76, went home to be with the Lord on February 25, 2021, with his wife by his side.  Rodney was born June 25, 1944, in Akron, Ohio to the late Tommie L. Dingle and Annie G. Dingle.

He graduated as Class President from East High School in 1962 and excelled in football and basketball.   He received an athletic football scholarship to Wooster College, where he was able to set many records.  After college, Rodney was drafted by the Buffalo Bills; however, an unfortunate knee injury prevented him from pursuing that opportunity.  In 1967, he played for the Akron Vulcans where he met many of his lifelong friends.

His working career began at The Akron Urban League as Activity Director under the leadership of the late Vernon Odom.  Rodney loved coaching basketball and mentoring young people at the Urban League.  He was also employed at the Akron Beacon Journal as Circulation Manager where he again mentored young people who had paper routes.  After retiring from the Beacon Journal, he worked for the Akron Board of Education in the After-School Program as a coordinator.  The young students loved him and affectionately called him “Mr. D.”

He was a dedicated member of Faith Temple Church of the Living God.  Rodney received numerous awards throughout his life, and he especially treasured his induction into the Summit County Hall of Fame and the East High School Hall of Fame.  Rodney received the Faith Temple’s prestigious T. W. Drone Award, and the Ohio Black Women’s Leadership Caucus Significant African American Males Award.  He also served as a Youth Excellence Performing Arts Workshop (YEPAW) volunteer for over 15 years.

Rodney was an avid golfer.  He was honored to be a member of Tiretown Golf Club and was proud to organize destination golf tournaments for his fellow club members each year.  He was also instrumental in establishing Faith Temple’s Annual Golf Outing.

Rodney was preceded in death by his brothers, Willie Robert Dingle Sr. and Gregory Dingle; sisters, Betty L. Carr, Geraldine Smith, Delores Lynum and Katherine Dingle; in-laws, Willie and Sarah Elton; nephews, Gerald Dingle and Damon Priester; niece, Romonia Dingle.

Rodney will be missed by his high school sweetheart and loving wife of 56 years, Ramona Elton Dingle; sons, Rodney Derek Dingle of Akron, Ohio, and Randall Thomas Dingle, (Wilbert Samuels, Jr.)  of Denver, Colorado; grandchildren, Jasmin Dingle and Jalen Dingle of Akron, Ohio; great-granddaughter, Siaani; brother, Thom (Betty) Dingle of Denver, Colorado; sister, Daphne Dingle of Akron, Ohio; sisters-in-law, Linda White and Gara Elton of Akron, Ohio; lifetime friends, Clem (Frieda) Demus and Michael Buckner. He was devoted to all his nieces, nephews, cousins, and special friends.  He was loved by all and He will be missed!