This mosaic plaque honoring longtime Mt. Airy Meat and Seafood Manager Dale Kinley, who died last May, now hangs outside the main entrance to our Mt. Airy store. The plaque was made by former Co-op staffer and current member Sara James, at the request of Store Manager Rick Spalek.

“It was an honor to make,” said James, who made the tiles in addition to putting together the mosaic. “I worked with Dale from about 1997 to 2005, when I worked in administration…She always cared deeply for the members and their needs, and even after I stopped working at the Co-op, she would ask about my kids and my health each time I saw her…I tried to capture her warmth and her natural beauty in the plaque.”

At some point in 2021, once it warms up and we can start feeling better about larger gatherings, we will schedule a memorial service for Dale outside the Mt. Airy store.