Vanderwall Funeral Home

04/27/2026

Gerald Wayne Rothwell, 79, a resident of Dayton, Tennessee, went home to be with the Lord and other loved ones on Sunday, April 26, 2026. Gerald was of the Baptist faith, a member of Elkmont Baptist Church in Cleveland, Tennessee.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Herman and Carris (Gill) Rothwell; his loving wife, Deborah K. Wampler Rothwell; his brothers, Clayton, Clyde, and Floyd Rothwell and his sisters, Frances Osteika, Dorothy Thurman, Beulah McKinney, and Bonnie Sneed.

Gerald proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy during Vietnam; a chapter of his life that shaped the hardworking and dedicated man he became. He spent years as a valued employee at La-Z-Boy in the wood room and at Tencate, where he took pride in his role as a line lead and trainer. Though he once enjoyed racquetball and tennis, bowling became his true passion in later years.

Gerald is survived by his son, Jeremy (Shelley) Wampler of Dayton; his daughter, Stephanie (Gary) Toomey of Dayton; his sister, Janice Clayton of Georgetown; his grandchildren, Chance and Cole Wampler, both of Dayton, and Ariel Long of Englewood; and his nieces and nephews.

Funeral services for Gerald will be in the funeral home chapel on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Sammy Ho**er officiating. He will be laid to rest with US Navy military honors next to his wife at Rhea Memory Gardens in Dayton.

Please share your memories and photos of Gerald on his online guest register at www.vanderwallfh.com.

The family is being cared for by Vanderwall Funeral Home in Dayton, Tennessee, where they will receive friends on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at 12:00 noon until the service begins.

04/27/2026

04/25/2026

Grief is a journey, and we don’t always know what to say or how to behave during this unique time in life. Did you know Vanderwall Funeral Home has online resources for helping yourself and others with grief? Click the link to learn more! www.vanderwallfh.com/resources/grief-resources.

04/24/2026

After the death of a loved one, it can be important to those left behind to see that special person one more time and say goodbye in person. This informative article shares a quick overview of the role of cosmetology and the restorative arts and answers a few key questions many people have about the viewing.

Would you like to know more about how cosmetology and the restorative arts can impact a funeral? Click to learn more!

04/23/2026

Sandra Michelle Thompson, age 59 of Dayton, passed away at Rhea Medical Center in Dayton on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. She was born in St. Augustine, FL, on April 25, 1966, the daughter of the late Charles Erke and Linda Cheryl (Keeny) Hacker. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Tim Thompson; and her son, Timothy Joseph “TJ” Thompson.

Before moving to Tennessee, Sandra lived in Jacksonville, Florida. Though blind, she made the most of life, enjoying the outdoors — the beach and fishing among her favorite pastimes.

Sandra is survived by her sister Julie (Scott) Overton of Palm Coast, Florida; her grandson, Tyler Thompson of Crossville; and her two nephews, Bryan (John) Bryd of Virginia and Bradley Byrd of Texas.

There will be no services for Sandra at this time.

Please share your memories and photos of Sandra on her online guest register at www.vanderwallfh.com.

The family is being cared for by Vanderwall Funeral Home in Dayton, Tennessee.

04/22/2026

Thomas “Bo” Kelley, age 78 of Dayton, passed away at his home on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. He was born in Dayton in “Kelley Holler” on February 22, 1948, the son of the late Harmon H. “Shag” Kelley and Bertha Lavada (Gennoe) Kelley. He was also preceded in death by his sisters, Dean, Vivian “Bib,” Nina, and Shirley.
Bo was a lifelong Rhea County resident and a proud 1966 graduate of Rhea Central High School. He answered the call to serve his country in the US Army, completing his service in the Korean DMZ before returning home to build a 36-year career as a machinist at the Oak Ridge Y-12 National Security Complex. A man who found purpose in serving others, Bo was a dedicated member of American Legion Post 100, where he built wheelchair ramps for those in need, and he also served on the Rhea County Election Commission. Whether he was fixing something for a neighbor or working on cars in his spare time, Bo was always most at home with his hands busy and someone to help.
His faith was central to everything he did. At Dayton Church of God, Bo threw himself into the bus ministry with characteristic dedication — driving routes, keeping the fleet maintained, helping acquire new buses, and even painting them himself. He also poured his energy into AWANA, the Rhea of Hope Food Bank, and the Church Council, served faithfully as church custodian, and volunteered with Vacation Bible School.
Bo is survived by his wife of 57 years, Carolyn Ann (Harwood) Kelley of Dayton; his sons, Tim (Donna) Kelley of Sale Creek and Stephen (Wendy) Kelley of Seymour; his brother, Harold Kelley of Augusta, South Carolina; his grandchildren, Ethan Kelley of Dayton, Luke Kelley and Ella Kelley of Sale Creek, Justin (Mary) Kelley of Seymour, Dustin (Megan) Kelley of Hanahan, South Carolina, and Bradley (Mikayla) Kelley of Schwenksville, Pennsylvania; and his five great-grandchildren, Kayla, Mia, Lucas, Anakin, and Eric.

Funeral services for Bo will be in the funeral home chapel on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. with Bishop Terry Bolton officiating. He will be laid to rest with US Army military honors in Rhea Memory Gardens after the service.

Memorial contributions may be made in Bo’s name to Sale Creek Church of God Building Fund, 14919 Old Dayton Pike, Sale Creek, TN 37373.

Please share your memories and photos of Bo on his online guest register at www.vanderwallfh.com.

The family is being cared for by Vanderwall Funeral Home in Dayton, Tennessee, where they will receive friends on Thursday, April 23, 2026, from 12:00 noon until the time of the service.

04/21/2026

What happens to your family if you pass away and there's no money to cover your funeral? It's not something any of us like to think about, but it's one of the most important conversations you can have.

When a loved one passes without prearrangements in place, families are often left scrambling during one of the hardest moments of their lives - trying to figure out how to pay for services while also trying to grieve.

Prearranging your funeral is one of the greatest gifts you can give the people you love. You lock in today's prices, make your wishes known, and remove the financial burden so your family can focus on what truly matters: honoring your memory.

Prearranging means:
• No financial burden left on your family
• Your wishes carried out, exactly as you choose
• Peace of mind for you and those you love
• Prices guaranteed at today's rates
• Affordable monthly payment options

Don't leave it to chance. Let us help you plan ahead with compassion, care, and no pressure.

04/20/2026

Ruth Ann Wilson, age 78 of Dayton, passed away at her home early on Saturday, April 11, 2026. She was born in Warren, Ohio, on July 28, 1947, the daughter of the late Russell Orland Whiteleather and Ruth Janette (Evans) Whiteleather. She was also preceded in death by her brothers, Russell Whiteleather, Richard Whiteleather, Randolph Whiteleather, and Ronald Whiteleather.

Ruth spent most of her adult years calling Dayton, Tennessee, home. A graduate of Jackson-Milton High School in North Jackson, Ohio, she went on to complete a year of dental hygienist training before building a career in the field alongside Dr. Lynda Moore in Dayton. Beyond her professional life, Ruth was actively involved in her community, holding memberships in both the American Legion Auxiliary and the Tennessee Sheriffs' Association, and attending Signal Mountain Nazarene Church.

Ruth is survived by her sons, Ryan J. (Melissa) Stewart of Glen Burnie, Maryland, and Joel (Kelly) Stewart of Severna Park, Maryland; her sisters, Robin (Gary) Whiteleather of California, and Rebecca (Joe) Christopher of Ohio; her brothers, Ross Whiteleather of Ohio and Reed Whiteleather of Florida; her seven grandchildren; and her eight great-grandchildren.

A graveside funeral for Ruth was held on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Rhea Memory Gardens in Dayton.

Please share your memories and photos on Ruth’s online guest register at www.vanderwallfh.com.

The family is being cared for by Vanderwall Funeral Home in Dayton, Tennessee.

04/17/2026

All over the planet, many different cultures and peoples use flowers to honor and remember lost loved ones. But the flowers used can be different from place to place. Check out this article to learn more about funeral flowers around the world!

Funeral flowers vary around the world, but some are universal. Check out this article to learn more about funeral flowers around the world!

04/16/2026

No one likes to think about death, let alone their own. And while it's a good idea to plan ahead, it can be stressful stepping into a funeral home. Luckily, you can make all your preplanning decisions from the comfort of your own home.

Thanks to our online planning tool, you and your family can finalize all of your funeral arrangements whenever you want and wherever you are. Plus, you can still call or meet with a funeral professional after you've started planning online. It's that easy!

To get started, visit plan.passare.com/login?agentUrl=PlanAhead&fhUrl=VanderwallFuneralHome or call 423-775-2662 if you have any questions.

04/16/2026

Emilio Robert Calderin, age 41 of Dayton, passed away at his home on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 20, 1984, the son of Emilio Manuel Calderin and the late Catherine (Devlin) Calderin.

A Levittown, Pennsylvania native, Emilio developed a lifelong love of baseball that took him to the American Legion level. He later settled in Dayton, where he co-owned B3 Dog Grooming and worked the front counter at Dayton Glass Company.

In addition to his father, Emilio Manuel Calderin of Grand Island, FL, Emilio is survived by his two sisters, Rachael Calderin of Oxford, PA, and Jamie (Michael) Kemp of Redding, PA; his grandmother, Dorothy Devlin; his long-time girlfriend, Dana Ochmanowicz of Dayton; and his aunts, uncles and cousins.

There are no services planned for Emilio at this time.

Please share your memories and photos of Emilio on his online guest register at www.vanderwallfh.com.

The family is being cared for by Vanderwall Funeral Home in Dayton, Tennessee.