Harold Melvin Dalton, 79, of Olathe, KS, formerly of Machesney Park, passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 13, 2018. Born June 1, 1938 in Rector, AR. Son of Floyd Garvin and Mary Alfrieda (Poynor) Dalton. Married Phyllis Remonia Whelchel on June 1, 1956. She predeceased him on November 9, 2012. Retired from doing Factory Maintenance at Mid-States Forging Die-Tool in Rockford in 2000. Harold was well known for playing jokes on people, playing music (most notably in his most recent healthy years, playing and singing in church). He spent many years sitting alongside his friends and brothers-in-law playing music together, singing, laughing, and telling jokes. He could play the Bass and Guitar with the best of them! Never took lessons, only learned the basics from an uncle at an early age, where he mostly taught himself how to play. Playing by ear was a talent given by God for him to enjoy.
He truly enjoyed working with wood crafting. Making kitchen cabinets, remodeling the interior of homes, refinishing tables, chairs, and anything with wood. He even piddled with refinishing some guitars that he had owned in his past. He loved the smell of fresh cut wood and the refinishing stains of his work that would shine with the beauty of the Craftsman. He also spent many hours working on his lawn and in his summertime vegetable garden. He loved the taste of a fresh grown tomato from the garden, still warm from the vine!
He loved talking with friends and family, reminiscing about the years gone by, and would joke with those who knew what it meant to 'pick cotton'. He even found a cotton plant with the cotton blooms intact and joked about how he was going to plant the seeds from that cotton! In all the things that he had on this earth, he worked for them through his entire lifetime. He would say that the most important thing he had was his family. He was proud of and loved every one of them dearly!
Survived by children, Patrick O. (Angela) Dalton of Loves Park, IL and Sandra D. (Joe) Oborny of Spring Hill, KS; grandchildren, Nicole Dalton, Olivia and Jared Oborny; sisters, Betty J. (Ron) Smith of Platteville, WI and Janice A. (Tony) Gomez of Gainesville, FL. Predeceased by his parents; wife, Phyllis Remonia Dalton; brother, Garvin E.Dalton.
Funeral Service at 10 a.m. at FirstBorn Ministries, 8213 N. Alpine Rd, Loves Park. Visitation at 9 a.m. until time of service. Entombment following in Sunset Memorial Gardens Chapel of Peace. To share a condolence www.sunsetfhmemgardens.com
