James Gary Daley

James Gary Daley, the firstborn child of James Pershing and Nelda Beulah Daley, was born on June 18, 1941, in Toppenish, Washington, and passed away on July 9, 2025, in Yakima. Gary was raised in Zillah, Washington, in a loving family that included his younger siblings: Jan, Jon, and Merry. His early years were filled with family camping and boating trips, working together in the yard, and creating occasional mischief with his siblings and friends.

As he grew older, Gary worked for local orchardists, where he hoed, thinned, and picked fruit. He also worked at a fruit warehouse and at Zillah’s F & F Market, where he met his future in-laws before meeting his future wife.

Gary was an excellent student, graduating as the class valedictorian. His experiences with manual labor during his teenage years inspired him to pursue higher education at the University of Washington for both his undergrad and dental school.

Gary met Doris Chamberlain, a girl from Toppenish, through mutual friends, and their first date to Miner’s Drive-in and the movie theater to see Gidget was the first step in a lifetime of love, companionship, and partnership that has extended more than 66 years.

After Gary and Doris married and moved to Seattle, they welcomed daughter Deborah Ann (Debbie). After graduating from dental school and joining the US Air Force, their family grew to include Michele Lee and Tonya Lyn. Upon the completion of his USAF service, the family moved back to the Yakima Valley, where Gary established a private dental practice and rounded out the family with James Todd and Gary Alan.

Life in Yakima stayed busy raising a family, growing his practice, and eventually building a home on a farm that included, in Gary’s words, “cattle and horses and sheep and goats and chickens and cats and dogs and whatever else came along.” Gary believed that farming was “a lot of hard work, but that makes for a strong family if you work together.”

Known as Gary by his many friends, dad, grandpa, and great grandpa by his family, Dr. Daley by his loyal patients, Bishop and brother by his church family, and Honey by his eternal sweetheart, he is a man who lived his life with focus, faith, and integrity. Like his sweet mother, Gary was a peacemaker who always tried to avoid conflict.

Gary’s life revolved around service, to his family and friends, his patients, his community, and his church. If any of his family or friends needed help with a project, he and Doris were there. Gary’s patients were also his friends, and he was always willing to see them during off-hours, whether that meant weekends or the middle of the night. He served over the years as president of the local dental society, on the West Valley Park board, as a precinct committee chairman, and as a local scout master. As a committed member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gary served in many positions, including bishop of the Yakima Sixth Ward.

Gary loved his family with his whole heart. He loved to work with his family and play with them as well. Evenings and weekends together might include weeding, changing sprinklers, or gathering wood, but might also include water skiing, snow skiing, or hiking in the mountains. Gary also loved family history, gardening, and baking delicious treats. Most of all, Gary loved people. He loved his wife, children, and grandchildren, but he also loved his extended family, his friends, his neighbors, his childhood teachers, his patients, his church family, his former mailman, and everyone else he met. Gary remembered people, he remembered their names, he remembered things about them, and he always took the time to greet them by name and ask how they were doing.

Life for Gary and Doris changed dramatically when, at age 58, he suffered a heart attack, followed by a stroke caused by the angioplasty treatment for the heart attack. The effects of the stroke were life-changing, yet in his own words, he described the following year only as “a bit bumpy.” Not only did Gary not complain about his unplanned and unwanted life detour, but he worked hard at rehab and soon found lots of ways to contribute and serve. He and Doris spent years as service missionaries helping people find employment and teaching people how to do family history. More than 14 years were spent driving back and forth to Kennewick to serve as temple workers in the Columbia River Temple. These years of service brought Gary great purpose and joy. As a family, we have felt immensely blessed for the many “bonus years” we’ve been given since Dad’s heart attack and stroke. To honor him, we will work hard, treasure family and friends, and tell bad Reader’s Digest jokes.

Gary is survived by his wife, Doris, and his children, Debbie Hunter, Michele (and Matt) Thornton, Tonya (and Keith) Kimzey, Todd Daley, and Gary Daley, his nineteen grandchildren, Braden, Bethany, Austin, Brittny, Dillon, Tyler, Aaron, Alyssa, Madisen, Ethan, Savannah, Elizabeth, Sarah, James, Nick, Sydney, Zak, Koulten and Ella, and seventeen great grandchildren, as well as his sister, Merry Daley (Doug Stewart). He was preceded in death by his parents, Jim and Nelda, brothers Jan and Jon, and son-in-law, Chris Hunter.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, July 18, at 10:30 am at the Yakima Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 705 South 38th Avenue.