Steven Bert Dalton

Steven (Steve) Dalton passed away on May 16, 2023, at the age of 73, in Fort Wayne, following a battle with cancer. Steve was born in Bedford, Indiana, to Leon and Marcella (Hackney) Dalton. He grew up in Orleans, Indiana, where he developed his love for pharmacy while working at Orleans Pharmacy. After graduating high school, Steve left for college at Indiana State before transferring into the pharmacy program at Purdue University. He graduated with a BS in Pharmacy in 1972 and moved to Fort Wayne with his soon-to-be wife, Katharine (Kathy) Rye, where Steve began working for Lutheran Hospital. Never one to sit idle, Steve also worked part-time for Keltsch pharmacy. Steve married Kathy in October 1972. The two soon moved into the home they would share for the next 50 years. Steve always had a home improvement project going in those early years and was known to take vacation from work to carpet a room or cover AC duct work. Steve retired from Lutheran after more than 40 years, having worked in both in-patient and out-patient pharmacies. In his younger years, Steve was an avid hunter. He also enjoyed woodworking, and he was particularly proud of the custom pool cues he made with his son, Jon. He spent his retirement years as Kathy’s primary caregiver. Following in his father’s footsteps, Steve was a 32nd degree Freemason and a long-standing member of the Highland Lodge #762. Steve was preceded in death by his parents and his oldest son, Jonathan (Jon) Dalton. He is survived by his wife, Kathy; daughter, Jennifer (Kevin) Davis of Phoenix, AZ; son, James Dalton of Wooster, OH; granddaughters, Ellie Dalton, Addison Davis, and Bella Smith; grandson Parker Davis; and sisters Debbie (John) Fountain and Susie (Jim) Downing. The Funeral service will be 1:30 pm Thursday, June 1, 2023, at D.O. McComb and Sons Foster Park Funeral Home 6301 Fairfield Avenue, Fort Wayne, IN with visitation 2 hours prior to the service. Burial in Prairie Grove Cemetery, Fort Wayne. Memorials may be made to Stillwater Hospice. To sign the online guestbook go to www.mccombandsons.com.