COKEVILLE, WY. - S.<! >
Reed Dayton, 93, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2001 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was born Feb. 20, 1908 in Dingle, Idaho, the son of Elmo and Sarah Jane Sparks Dayton.
There he resided until age 16 when the family moved to Cokeville, WY. where he later graduated from Cokeville High School. His preparation to become a teacher was interrupted by a mission call to the North Central States Mission. Upon his return, he found employment in Cokeville, first as a service station attendant, later he worked on Cottonwood Ranch for J. Marlow Taylor.
There he continued a courtship begun prior to his mission and on June 24, 1931 he married Lois Whitaker Taylor in the Salt Lake Temple. Their 70 years of marriage was a model of happiness and service to the Lord and to their fellow man, not only for their own family and extended family, but the ward and stake as well.
They are the parents of two daughters and six sons, all who survive them except the youngest son David who died in 1991. Their children and spouses are Elder L. Tom and Barbara Perry, Sharon and Janel Dayton, Robert and Carol Petersen, Lynn and Margaret Dayton, Lyman and Elizabeth Dayton, Mark and Eve Dayton, Merril and Susan Dayton, and Cynthia O'Brien Dayton Smith. They are the grandparents of 49 grandchildren, 82 great-grand-children, and two great-great-grandchildren. Also surviving him is his sister Ella Collett and brother John W. Dayton.
Preceded in death by his son, David; infant grandson, John Dayton; parents, sisters, Arvilla Sirrine and Beatrice Simmons, brothers, Everett, Eldon and Dello.
Reed was a man with great leadership and energy and was successful in all aspects of his life. He was first a wonderful husband, father and grand-father.
He owned a large ranch and engaged in ranching, farming, and dairying and was also in the service station and motel business with his brother Eldon. He was a civic leader and served 28 years on the local school board, 18 as chairman; Vice-President of Wyoming School Boards Association; a deputy county assessor; and a Wyoming State legislator, serving six years in the House and four years in the Senate. He was an original member of the Tri-State Bear River Compact Commission, serving from the 1940's until his retirement in 1996.
Reed's church service began with his mission, the first missionary to leave from Cokeville. In 1932 he was called as President of the Cokeville Branch and in 1935 became its first bishop serving until October 1954. Then called as a stake missionary and later to the stake High Council. He was sustained as President of Montpelier, Idaho Stake in November 1958 and faithfully filled that calling until 1972. A subsequent call was to be the Stake Patriarch, and in 1978 was called to preside, with his wife over the Nevada Las Vegas Mission - a highlight in their lives. Upon their return, he resumed his Patriarch responsibilities.
Funeral services will be held at noon on Monday, October 8, 2001 in the Cokeville Ward Chapel. Friends and family may call Sunday evening from 6-8 p.m. at Matthews Mortuary in Montpelier or at the Cokeville Ward from 9:30-11:30 Monday morning. Interment will be in the Cokeville, Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to IHC Hospice are suggested.