Jon Charles Dalton

Jon Charles Dalton passed on October 23, 2026 at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital surrounded by his loving family.

Jon was born in Middlesboro, Kentucky to Eunice Roberts and Eugene Wilson Dalton on July 13, 1941. Jon graduated from Franklin College in Indiana before completing his Master’s Degree in Religion and Philosophy at Yale University. He went on to obtain a second Masters as well as his Doctorate Degree in Higher Education from the University of Kentucky.

Jon moved to Tallahassee in 1989 when he became Vice President for Student Affairs for Florida State University.

Jon delighted in his lifelong work with college students even setting up a campus lunchtime booth named “The VP is in” to better connect with students in a more casual way.

Jon was an avid runner completing 6 marathons as well as a lifelong sailor. He was never happier than on his sailboat near St. Marks. Jon was also a passionate traveler, often setting up college student exchanges to inspire others to see the world as well. He was always fascinated by new places and seeing new things. To round out Jon’s long list of gifts, he was an accomplished musician and painter.

Jon is survived by his soulmate, Beverly Dalton; his daughter, Stacy Dalton (Brian Caffarelli); his son, Jonathan Dalton (Mirela Dalton); his two cherished grandchildren, Charles and Alexandra Dalton; his sister, Linda Dalton; his nephews, John McLaughlin, Michael McLaughlin, Adam Roberts, and Jimmy Roberts, and an even wider circle of family and friends who will forever remember his kind and generous spirit as well as his enormous positivity, humor, and zest for life.

Jon was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Antoinette Dalton McLaughlin.

Jon’s full obituary is available on Culley’s Funeral Home website. A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, February 14, 2027 at 3pm at First Presbyterian Church in Tallahassee, Florida.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to the Salvation Army (a charity that was near and dear to Jon’s heart) or the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN).

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Jon Charles Dalton, 85, of Tallahassee, Florida passed away on October 23, 2026 after a short stay at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.

Jon (“Jack”) was born July 13, 1941 in Middlesboro, Kentucky to Eunice Roberts and Eugene Dalton. He loved the nearby Appalachian Mountains and always talked of their beauty and of the fun he had playing in the nearby streams, caves, and trees. Growing up in the Appalachian area gave Jon his first roots in his love of nature and his lifelong commitment to helping others. He had such deep respect and compassion for what it means to grow up in an impoverished area.

Jon’s parents moved to Indianapolis when he was in 7th grade. The city was a new and somewhat claustrophobic experience after the hills of Kentucky. But Jon, always an optimist, quickly got involved with a local church choir and school sports. Jon played high school varsity football and he was also on the wrestling team. Jon became the first person in his family to go to college when he attended Franklin College in Indiana. He loved his time there but what he loved most was the person he met there– his beautiful and magnetic soulmate Beverly. They went on to spend 62 amazing years together.

After marrying Beverly, Jon’s commitment to helping others led him to Yale University to pursue a Master’s Degree in Religion and Philosophy. He was always proud of his time there and spoke often of how he enjoyed being around such smart and inspiring people.

Following Yale, Jon moved back to Kentucky to become the Director of International Affairs at the University of Kentucky. The Dalton household was always filled with international students for holidays and welcoming dinners. Jon and Beverly’s children Stacy and Jonathan loved meeting such a diverse group of young people and they too grew to love global travel like their father.

Jon went on to highly successful careers at Iowa State as Dean of Students, Northern Illinois University as Vice President of Students, and then, in 1989, to his final home at Florida State University as Vice President of Student Affairs. Jon also served as NASPA President from 1995-1996 which was an honor he was greatly proud of.

F.S.U. was Jon’s dream job as it also enabled him to sail in the nearby Gulf on weekends. He was an avid sailor and he was close to getting his Captain’s license. Jon often talked of “sailing watch” trips that he did on his vacations. These trips involved him being part of the working crew as larger sailboats were moved from the northeast down to the southeast in winter.

One of Jon’s proudest accomplishments was the Institute on College Student Values (later renamed the Jon C. Dalton Institute) that he founded while serving as the Vice President of Student Affairs at F.S.U. The Institute focused on the moral, spiritual, civic, and social development of college students, and it was sponsored by NASPA.

After transitioning to a faculty role at F.S.U., Jon went on to establish both the Journal of College and Character (JCC) and the Character Clearinghouse with support from the John Templeton Foundation. Jon’s short introductory note as editor in the journal’s first year evolved into an ongoing series of guest essays which featured distinguished university presidents from all over the world. Jon was a master composer of catchy titles, which he said was one of the most important aspects of any article.

Jon’s love of family was immense. He was a doting father who brought his family spring flowers each Easter from the campus flower sale. After work each evening, Jon took his children on walks, pulling them in a little red wagon and helping them pick up buckeyes as they walked among the trees near Henry Clay’s Park in Kentucky. When it rained, Jon took his kids out to gleefully stomp in puddles as they played. Jon was the coach of Jonathan’s Little League team (the Kmart Tigers) and he drove his daughter Stacy to her guitar lessons each Saturday (an hour away) for many years.

Jon was thrilled when he became a grandfather to Charles and Alexa and he couldn’t ever get enough time with them.

In his later years, Jon fiercely battled bladder cancer which blessedly went into remission for 8 years allowing him more time to travel to see his grandchildren and to go on several international wine trips with his daughter. Jon also fought Parkinson’s disease in his last 7 years which he kept at bay with daily walks with Bev around Waverly Pond. Never one to complain, Jon was an absolute warrior of grace, faith, and acceptance despite these stressful moments in his life. Jon always said that he felt “pretty good” and that he was grateful for each day he was given to be alive.

Jon’s hopeful character is reflected well in a question that he asked his wife and children each night before they went to sleep: “What good thing has happened to you today?”

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to the Salvation Army (which was a charity near and dear to Jon’s heart) or the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN).

A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, February 14, 2027 at 3pm at the First Presbyterian Church in Tallahassee, Florida.