Gregory Alan Dale

Gregory Alan Dale, aged 60, died Thursday, November 24th at home surrounded by family following a year-long battle with gastric cancer. On December 28th, 1961, in San Antonio, Texas, Dolores and Shepherd Dale celebrated the birth of their oldest son Greg. In childhood, Greg developed his passion for the outdoors after moving from Texas to Alaska where he enjoyed ice skating and fishing. He later returned to Texas and graduated from Troy High School in 1979. After graduation, Greg temporarily worked as a roofer, but these aspirations ended quickly after putting a nail through his foot. He then attended Temple Community College in Temple, Texas, and subsequently graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas in 1983. Greg furthered his education with a master’s degree from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in Sport Psychology from the University of Tennessee in 1992. His time in Knoxville was spent analyzing pre-shot free throw routines, helping decathletes develop laser focus, and observing the coaching skills of the great Pat Summit.

In Knoxville, he met his future wife, Cammie Putman, and they married in May 1993. The couple moved to Fort Mill, South Carolina in 1993, where Greg took a job as a Professor of Sport Psychology at Winthrop University. Greg quickly established himself as an expert with student-athletes and became a beloved professor and member of the Physical Education Department.

In July 2000, Greg and his family moved to Durham, North Carolina, where Greg took a position as Director of Sports Psychology and Leadership at Duke University. In addition to counseling individual athletes and teams, Greg taught popular classes in Sport Psychology and Sports Ethics. The entire family demonstrated their allegiance to the Blue Devils by spending countless weekends on the sidelines supporting various Duke teams. Greg’s expertise on leadership led to a fruitful speaking career that took him to all corners of the world to help with scholastic and corporate team building.

Greg invested no less than 100% in everyone and everything that mattered to him. His boundless energy allowed him to enjoy many activities outside of work with his family. He enthusiastically enjoyed coaching little league baseball, fishing, golfing, playing pickleball, and organizing family dodgeball tournaments. Consistent with his love for work and his dedication to the athletes he helped, he continued to work and travel for as long as his illness would allow.

Greg is survived by his wife of 28 years, Cammie Putman Dale; his daughter, Abbey Clark Dale, his sons, Graham Clifton Dale, Charles Jacob Dale, and Lucas Miller Dale; his mother Dolores Jo Dale; his brothers, Michael Stephen Dale and Christopher Ellis Dale. He was preceded in death by his father, Shepherd Miller Dale.

Funeral services will be 1:30 pm Wednesday, November 30th in Duke University Chapel. Ample parking in Bryan Center parking garage (GPS 135 Science Dr.) Livestream link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fuz9V16wO-Y. In lieu of flowers, the family requests with gratitude that contributions in Greg’s memory be directed to Greg Dale Leadership Academy, supporting student-athletes at Duke University. Arrangements are under the care of Hall-Wynne Funeral Service & Crematory.