Dalton France

Visitation: 11am-2pm Thursday, January 18, 2024 at Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Morton.

Chapel service: 2pm Thursday Ott and Lee Chapel Morton.

Graveside following at Kalem Community Cemetery.

Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Morton.

**********************

Dalton France
Kalem Community

Dalton France, age 88, passed away peacefully on January 14, 2024, at Mississippi Care Center in Morton.   Visitation will be held 11am-2pm Thursday, January 18, 2024, at Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Morton.  Chapel services will be held 2pm Thursday from the Ott and Lee Chapel in Morton with burial following at Kalem Community Cemetery.  Bro. Joe Crane and Bro. Bill Prestage will officiate the services.  Arrangements were entrusted to the care of Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Morton.  

Mr. France was born November 18, 1935, in Tate County.  Dalton was a man of unique character.  He always wanted to help others any way he could.  Mr. France invested in some rental property that he ran and operated up until recently when his health began to fail.  Dalton had a heart of gold and there were many times that people could not pay their rent and he would let them stay because he wanted to help people that was having a hard time. He built his legacy around helping less fortunate people whether it be a place to live, needing food to feed their family or just a ride to the grocery store.  He could be seen loading people up on food give away days and take several truckloads of people to get their food that didn’t have a ride.  Even on his death bed he was still wanting to help people. 

When he first got into the cattle business, he would haul cattle on train cars and ride the train cars with them.  Dalton worked for many small cattle ranches and then was asked to come to Morton to run B.C. Rogers Polled Hereford Cattle Farm where he worked for 30 plus years. He traveled the world showing cattle and made many friends everywhere he went. He and his wife, Lula made their home in Morton with their two children where they lived on the farm. After the farm closed, Dalton and Lula bought Kalem Grocery Store on Highway 80 between Morton and Forest.  The store was famous for their cold bottle cokes and the homemade sausage they made and the friendships they made with people just stopping by.  They owned Kalem Vending Service that they operated with snack and drink machines and hot food lines at many plants and businesses.  Dalton was a long-time member of Kalem Community Church where he served on many committees.  He was always willing to give or do at the church whatever was needed that he could do.  He was very well known for answering his phone during the service because he did not know how to turn his ringer off. His legacy of love and kindness will live on with his family and friends that knew him. 

He is preceded in death by his parents, Billy and Fannie Hughes France of Senatobia: his loving wife of 67 years, Lula France; siblings, Thomas France and Margaret Triplett; his fur baby, Skeeter and in-laws, Clyde and Rheathie Dell Cobb.

He is survived by his 2 children, Rick France (Kelly) of TX and Vickie France DiPuma (Carlos) of Brandon; grandchildren, Brooke Christian (Noah) of Leesburg, Paige Stevens (Caleb) of Brandon, Dustin DiPuma (Carlie) of Morton, Adam France of TX, Allison Peregrino (Rob) of Chicago, Ryan France of Hawaii and Shelby Hames (Everett) of VA; great grandchildren, Dalton Cruze Christian, Aaron Maddox DiPuma, Lucas Niko Stevens, Marshall Christian and Kaileigh Christian; brother, Charlie France (Martha) of Southaven, brother-in-law, Charles Cobb (Faye) of Batesville; a host of nieces, nephews and friends. 

Pallbearers will be the Officers of the Reservoir State Police Department.  Honorary pallbearers are his coffee drinking friends from Sam’s Diner and many others that are too many to name.  

In lieu of flowers donations may be made in his honor to a food bank or organization of your choice to help people that are in need.  

A special thank you to Mississippi Care Center of Morton and Renee Walker, CNP for taking such wonderful care of our dad and loved one and making him feel loved and special.  And a special thank you to Home Care Hospice (his ladies in red) that treated him like he was family.  

We hope and pray his legacy of helping others and his kind heart will live on in his memory.