Vanderwall Funeral Home

03/11/2026

Joe Paul, age 78 of Dayton, passed away at Rhea Medical Center on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. He was born on July 5, 1947, in Dayton, the son of the late Autra and Pauline (McCoy) Paul. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Polly (Price) Paul; his son, Joe Allen Paul; his sisters, Patricia Rogers, Ona Wingate, Ruth Haddock, and Brenda Paul; and his brothers, Gene Paul, Steven Paul, Earnest Paul, Tom Paul, and George Paul.

Joe was a lifelong resident of Dayton who proudly served his country in the U.S. Army. He retired from Bungee Oil Company, where he worked in the shipping department, and enjoyed farming in his spare time. Joe was also a member of Old Washington Baptist Church.

He is survived by his two sisters, Dorothy Price of Old Washington, and Nellie Roberts of Dayton.

A graveside funeral service with Military Honors will be held for Joe at Spring City Memorial Gardens on Friday, March 13, 2026, with visitation beginning at 11:30 a.m. followed by the service at 12:00 noon with Rev. Jim Woychuk officiating.

Please share your memories of Joe on his online guest register at www.vanderwallfh.com.

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

03/09/2026

Jan Michael Cassady, age 63 of Dayton, passed away at CHI Memorial in Chattanooga early on Sunday, March 8, 2026. He was born in Chicago Heights, Illinois, on December 16, 1962, the son of the late Marvin Cassady and Stella (Weddel) Cassady, who survives him.

Jan resided in Dayton for 12 years, having previously lived in Sanford, Florida. A retired Parks Department employee from Altamont, Florida, he was a member of Rhea of Sunshine in Dayton and had a fondness for puzzles, bowling, and books.

In addition to his mother, Stella Cassady of Dayton, Jan is survived by his sister, Susan Cassady of Dayton; his brothers, Donald Akin of Homewood, Illinois, Jerry (Donna) Cassady of Portal, Georgia, and Kirk (Fran) Cassady of Salina, Kansas; and his nieces and nephews.

A Gathering Time for Jan will be in the funeral home parlor on Friday, April 3, 2026, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. He will be laid to rest in Rhea Memory Gardens.

Memorial gifts in Jan’s name may be made to Rhea of Sunshine, 400 Greenway Blvd., Dayton, TN 37321.

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

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

03/09/2026

Diana Elaine Howell, age 86 of Dayton, passed away on Monday, March 9, 2026, at her home. She was born in Rochester, NY, on February 15, 1940, the daughter of the late Ralph Happ and Mildred Pearl Rigby.

Diana made Dayton her home in 1995 and built her life there, dedicating her working years to Suburban Manufacturing where she proudly served on the line until retirement. An avid reader, Diana logged an impressive 1,500+ books over her lifetime, and she had a deep love for cats.

She is survived by her daughter, Kimberley Marie (Tony) Crawford Moore of Dayton Mountain; her five grandchildren, Jack Crawford, Molly Crawford Moffett, Christina Crawford Shadron, Matthew Lee Crawford, and Makayla Moore; her 16 great-grandchildren, Nakia Crawford, Mia Crawford, Aliyah Crawford, Brooklyn Shadron, Brianna Shadron, Liam Hall, Bella Hall, Zekarii Crawford, Zeniyah Crawford, Jayden Crawford, Jenna Crawford, Silas Crawford, Serenity Osborne, Cayde Osborne, Ariel Barger, Murphy Jennings; and her two great-great-grandchildren, Kayden Carpenter and Noah Carpenter.

There are no services planned for Daina at this time.

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

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

03/09/2026

Mary Janetta Carey, age 90 of Dayton, passed away at Erlanger Baroness Hospital in Chattanooga early on Saturday, March 7, 2026. She was born in Union County, Iowa, on January 30, 1936, the daughter of the late Clarence Edison Carey and Gladys Fern (Welling) Carey.

Mary earned a bachelor's degree from Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta, Canada. She devoted 30 years of her life to missionary work in Brazil (1965–1995) through Brazil Gospel Fellowship Mission. After returning to the United States, she settled in Dayton in 1995. She was a dedicated attender of Grace Bible Church, where she served as a childcare worker with Moms4Moms and as an AWANA leader.

Mary is survived by her sisters, Fran Carey of Dayton and Carolyn (Walt) Reardon of D’Iberville, Mississippi, and her nephews, Joseph Reardon of Biloxi, Mississippi, and James (Mary) Reardon of Diamondhead, Mississippi.

Funeral services for Mary will be at Grace Bible Church in Dayton on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Jim Woychuk officiating. The family will receive friends at the church from 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 12, 2026, until the time of the service. She will be laid to rest in Rhea Memory Gardens after the service.

Gifts in memory of Mary may be made to Brazil Gospel Fellowship Mission, PO Box 355, Springfield, IL 62705-0355 or Grace Bible Church Children’s Ministries, 2809 Old Washington Highway, Dayton, TN 37321.

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

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

03/09/2026

03/07/2026

Don't want to be late in the morning? Don't forget to set your clocks forward one hour!

03/06/2026

When someone you know is grieving, you may not know what to say, and that's okay. Read this article to learn about some common phrases you should avoid and what to say instead.

Knowing what to say when someone is grieving can be tricky. For a few ideas on what NOT to say, take a few moments to read this article.

03/04/2026

Did you know that there are so many benefits to planning your funeral ahead of time? From making your wishes known to protecting your family from inflation, there are lots of reasons to plan ahead!

If you’ve already made your funeral prearrangements, why did you decide to preplan?

If you're interested in learning more about your preplanning options, call us at 423-775-2662.

03/02/2026

Martha Nell Ruehling, age 80 of Dayton, passed away at her home early on Monday, March 2, 2026. She was born in Cagle, Tennessee, on February 24, 1946, the daughter of the late Claymon and Olavene (Minton) McGinnis.

Martha has called Dayton home since 1978. A proud graduate of Red Bank High School's Class of 1964, she went on to excel as an honor student at Bryan College, earning a Bachelor of Science degree. For 21 years, she dedicated herself to shaping young minds as a beloved kindergarten teacher at Dayton City School. Beyond the classroom, she was a devoted homemaker and faithful pastor's wife who found joy in traveling and was an active member of New Union Baptist Church.

Martha is survived by her husband of 58 years, Dr. Danny Ruehling of Dayton; her sons, Micah (Melody) Ruehling of Dayton and Steven (Tara) Ruehling of Maryville; her grandchildren, Carson Ruehling, Cooper Ruehling, McKenzie (fiancé Tanner Meachen) Ruehling, Cole Ruehling, Cammie Ruehling, Teagan Ruehling, and Nate Ruehling; and her brother and sister, Tim (Darlene) McGinnis and June (Ronnie) Elliott, both of Red Bank.

The family will receive friends at New Union Baptist Church in Dayton, Tennessee, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Martha will also lie in state at the church on Thursday, March 5, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. until the funeral service at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Keath Butt officiating. She will be laid to rest at Rhea Memory Gardens after the service.

Memorial gifts in Martha’s name may be made to New Union Baptist Church Children’s Building Fund, 4060 Double S Road, Dayton, TN 37321.

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

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

02/27/2026

Have you heard of the FTC Funeral Rule? Set in place by the Federal Trade Commission in the 1980s, this law gives you certain rights and protections as you do business with a funeral home. Check out this article to learn more and better understand your rights!

Did you know that the Funeral Rule gives you certain rights and protections when you interact with a funeral home? Click to learn about them!

02/27/2026

Barbara Renee (Thorpe) Griffin, age 60 of Hixson, passed away on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at CHI Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga. She was born in Lorain, Ohio on July 18, 1965, the daughter of the late Edgar J. Thorpe and Rose Marie (Sneed) Nelson.

Barbara has called Hixson home since 1974, dedicating her career to the healthcare industry as a nurse, Certified Nursing Assistant, and medical assistant. In her leisure time, she found joy in bingo, crafting, sewing, and exploring new destinations through travel. Above all else, she treasured the time she spent with her family.

She is survived by husband, Mark Griffin of Estill Springs; her two daughters, Kristin Renee (David) McLaughlin and Melissa Ann (Jeremy) Clark, both of Hixson; her six grandchildren, Gage Robertson, Jonathan Sherrill, Autumn Wright, Michael Wright, Jr., Ivy McLaughlin, and Ryker McLaughlin; her two brothers, Edward Thorpe and Gregory Thorpe, both of Hixson; and her bonus children and grandchildren.

Funeral services for Barbara will be in the funeral home chapel on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at 12:00 noon with Rev. Jim Woychuk officiating. She will be laid to rest at Pleasant View Cemetery.

Please share your memories and photos of Barbara on her 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 Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.