Dale Scandling from Dalton, Huddersfield, died in the early hours of Friday 5th November, 2021 following a short illness. He was just hours past his 59th birthday.
He leaves behind his parents, Brian and Margaret Scandling, two sisters, Wendy and Gill, two sons, Dale Jnr and Nicky and three grandchildren, Tegan, Luka and Brooke.
Very sadly, ‘Scanny’, as he was fondly known to his family and friends, did not live to see justice for his youngest son, Joe McCafferty, who was murdered in an arson attack in May, 1997. He was staying over at his aunt’s house in Marsh, Huddersfield at the time.
Only last week, Joe’s family re-launched their justice campaign to mark what would have been his 32nd birthday (read more here).
Dale was the partner of Joe’s mother, Tracey McCafferty, for 13 years. but even after they separated remained totally committed to the campaigning. An experienced groundworker by trade, he was a familiar and very popular sight around the town, having been born and brought up in Dalton, Huddersfield and living in that area for many years. He lived, latterly, in Golcar.
These are just a small sample of the hundreds of tributes paid to Dale Scandling on social media:
His ex-partner, Tracey McCafferty: ‘Rest in Eternal Peace, Scanny. You will be missed by so many. Hope you are with Joe‘.
Marie McCafferty: ‘So sad. RIP Scanny, sending all my love to the family. God bless‘.
Elaine McCafferty: ‘So sad to hear the news. Still in shock. RIP. Scanny was a true legend‘.
Apart from Dale Scandling, other member’s of Joe’s family to pass away, without seeing justice for Joe, are his Uncle Edward (his mother’s elder brother, who died in 2013) and his maternal grandmother, Joyce, who died in 2015.
His former partner, and other family members, say that Dale would want every person reading this tribute to his life to sign the petition calling for a different police force to investigate his beloved son’s death. Please honour Scanny’s memory by doing so at this link.
Page last updated: Sunday 7th November, 2021 at 1120 hours
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Picture credit: Justice for Joe McCafferty campaign
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