Donald Raymond Dailey Sr.

Don is survived by his sister Carol (John) Dusci of Wheeling; WV, sister Jean (Thomas) Coulter of Akron, OH; son Donald (Charlene) Dailey, Jr. of Portage, MI; son Christopher Dailey of Edmonton, Canada; daughter Erin Dailey of Smyrna, GA; granddaughter Breanna (Spencer) Welling of Kalamazoo, MI; grandson Alex (Angela) Dailey of Farmington Hills, MI and great granddaughter Caroline Dailey. He is preceded in death by his wife Janet Dailey; parents Earl and Virginia Dailey of Wheeling, WV; sister Eileen (James) McAninch of Wheeling, WV and brother Robert “Bobby” Dailey of Wheeling, WV.

Don was born on December 18, 1943 in Wheeling, WV and graduated from Wheeling Central Catholic High School in 1961. He served in the Navy on the U.S.S. Ranger from 1963 to 1965. Don married Janet Dailey, the love of his life, in 1965. Don and Janet moved to Michigan after the birth of their first son and had two more children, a son and a daughter. In 1967, Don began a 30-year career working for Ford Motor Company in their Woodhaven Stamping Plant.

In 1998, Don and Janet retired and moved to The Villages in Lady Lake, FL where they have enjoyed the company of many friends and family. They often visited the squares in The Villages to see the entertainment and attended concerts in Silver Springs and at the Orange Blossom Opry. Don loved golfing, playing cards and “shoveling sunshine” as he often referred to enjoying the warm Florida weather. He always had time for friends and neighbors, often offering to look after houses while his snowbird friends were up north for the summer. Don had a great sense of humor. He loved to joke around and often had funny sayings that he could recite with great enthusiasm. He was always outgoing, kind, gentle and had a love for life and everyone he interacted with.

Don will be cremated, and his ashes laid to rest in the Florida National Cemetery alongside his wife Janet. A memorial service is scheduled for Monday, November 8th at 8:30am at St. Timothy Catholic Church, 1351 Paige Pl, Lady Lake, FL 32159.