The Rev. David Earl Tinsley, Sr., age 75 of Dothan, AL, finished his race and went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on January 12, 2025. David passed from this life peacefully, surrounded by his family that he loved so deeply. Originally from Laurens, SC, David spent his life devoted to others in the sharing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through word, deeds, and specifically, through music.
David always held a song in his heart, and more often than not, he could be heard singing those songs to others. He completed his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Delta State University in Cleveland, MS, where he met and married the love of his life, Janice Puckett. After a few years of teaching as a public-school music educator, he heard the calling of God to use those gifts for His glory in full-time music and youth ministry and eventually senior adult ministry. Through the years, David served in churches in Helena, AR, Chatsworth, GA, Clarksdale, MS, Headland, AL, Slocomb, AL, and Dothan, AL. Upon retiring from the ministry, David continued for a decade to show love to others by working as a bus driver to special needs children in Dothan City Schools. He enjoyed getting up early and doing all he could to put smiles on children’s faces.
David loved puzzles, a good pun, and any humor dealing with golf – his favorite pastime sport, a love of which was inherited from his father. Woodworking in his shop when his children were young was a regular weekend pastime. He was also a superb calligraphy artist and had many original works that were displayed in galleries through the years. His creative nature trickled down to his grandchildren, with whom he spent time building and cultivating art projects.
While David will certainly be remembered for his wit, he will mostly be remembered for his faithfulness. He was faithful to Christ, faithful to his beloved wife, Janice, for their 53 years of marriage, and faithful to his family as he raised them not only to know Christ, but to see them choose a Christ-centered life. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” David’s life demonstrated that his treasure was his family.
David is preceded in death by his father, William Earl Tinsley, his mother, Beulah Hill Tinsley and his brother, William Tinsley. He is survived by his loving wife, Janice Puckett Tinsley, his children, Rebecca Freshwater (Richard), David Tinsley Jr. (Ruth), Laura Grace Holmes (James), his 10 grandchildren, William, Benjamin, Jackson and Charles Freshwater, Harper, Piper and Sutton Tinsley, and Allen, Tinsley and Elijah Holmes and his sister, Dianne Bryan.
A Celebration of Life service will be held in David’s honor at Covenant Methodist Church, 3610 W Main St, Dothan, AL 36305, on Sunday, January 19, at 3:00 p.m. with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Ark Dothan, Inc., 475 W. Main Street, Dothan, AL 36301 or https://thearkdothan.org.
