Mr. James Michael "Mike" Dial

James Michael Dial died on Thanksgiving night, November 22, 2018. The second son of Marjorie Hagler Dial and Wiley Auva Dial, he was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on July 7, 1945. Mike is survived by his wife, Sheila Aline Maloney Dial, his daughters Allison Faye Dial Carrow, Sara Balfour Dial, and his beloved grandsons Michael Coleman Carrow, William Joseph Carrow, and Cooper Thomas Carrow. Mike was graduated from University High School, where he was active in sports. He loved U High and formed many close lifelong friendships there. He then attended Tulane University where he majored in Business. He often laughingly said that he found the classes easy until he discovered Bourbon Street. He met his future wife Sheila on a blind date at LSU. They instantly became fast friends and fell in love. They married at St. Louis Cathedral on July 8, 1967. After a year living in Baton Rouge, the couple and their baby daughter Allison moved to New Orleans. Mike obtained a sales job at Lewis Business Forms. After much success there, he was hired as the Manager in Atlanta. He later became self-employed as an insurance agent. He enjoyed a hobby as an Uber and Lyft driver which allowed him to meet many new friends. Mike’s daughter Allison is married to Craig Joseph Carrow. Mike adored Craig as a son and had a close loving relationship with him. Mike delighted in the births of his three grandsons and loved them more than words can say. He always attended their various sports and activities and never missed Cole’s band concerts. Mike was especially proud that Cole was accepted at Georgia Tech. His grandsons just loved sharing good times and stories with their “Bots.” That’s the name Cole gave him when he was a baby and our family and close friends only knew him as Bots, a loving husband, father, grandfather. Mike was born into a Louisiana cooking family. As a child, he learned the old country ways of cooking from his grandmother Memaw. She was a lovable old lady who lived in a “camp” over the water of False River. She caught fish off of the pier there and fried up lots of sacalait with little Mike at her side. That’s where his love of cooking began and he never stopped. Gumbo, shrimp creole, shrimp etouffee, crayfish, fried turkey, jambalaya, fried seafood were among his best dishes. He always said that folks ruined Cajun cooking with too much pepper, that it masked the good onion, celery, and garlic flavor. We loved this jovial, energetic man. Although he suffered with heart disease, diabetes and losing a kidney to cancer he was constantly on the go. He loved to garden and raised delicious heirloom tomatoes. He had a great personality and close friends everywhere. He was the consummate but casual host, always ready to greet guests with food and drink! He was a friend to all. A celebration of life is planned for Saturday, December 1 at 770 Scotlandwell Place, Milton, Georgia at 1:00 PM. All of his many friends are welcome at this event he requested of fun, food and music. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to enAble of Georgia Foundation, Inc. 1200 Old Ellis Road, Roswell, Georgia 30076.

Mr. James Michael "Mike" Dial

July 7, 1945 - November 22, 2018