Nancy D. Dalton

Nancy Deane Dalton, 88, of Westfield, Indiana passed away on Saturday, January 4, 2025 at Muncie Estates Memory Care Assisted Living. Nancy was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on January 7, 1936 to Gordon and June Griffiths.

She married her love, James Dalton, on January 21, 1956 in Mequon, Wisconsin. Together they had four children: Deborah, Douglas, Julia, and Susan.

Nancy was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and daughter, Debbie Bird.

She leaves behind her brother, Keith (Sandy) Griffiths, three children: Douglas (Paula) Dalton, Julie Dalton, Sue (Phil) Mercer, seven grandchildren: Jim (Dani) Bird, Andy Bird, Theron Dalton, Caleb (Brittany) Mercer, Allyson (Dan) Martin, Josiah Mercer, and Jessica (Alex) Rockhold, and nine (soon to be ten) great-grandchildren: Lillian and Declan Bird, Oliver, Juniper, and Rosemary Bird, Jeremiah Mercer, Gideon, Saffron, and Juniper Martin, and Baby Rockhold.

Nancy’s faith in Jesus Christ and devotion to her family were the most important things in her life. Her faith was an active faith worked out in service to her family. She was a stay-at-home mom and homemaker while she raised her children. She supported her children in their church, school, and after-school activities as well as in their special interests, lessons, and hobbies. And with four kids the list was very long! Along with making sure they got to their activities (chief chauffeur), she volunteered with the many organizations they were involved in. She coordinated Vacation Bible School snacks every summer for a very large group of children. She prepared and served Sunday evening meals for the Jr. and Sr. high youth groups. She attended countless performances and contests for all of her children. The best word to describe her dedication to her family is present. She was present in so many ways.

Nancy’s faith was also worked out in serving her community. She was always involved with serving in her church no matter where she attended. She cared about people and wanted to help wherever she could. At church she served for years in the United Methodist Women’s organization. She volunteered and served as the manager of the Tot-Teen Shop, their used clothing store. She was the leader of the wedding reception committee, which was essentially a catering service for the brides of the church. She volunteered with the Hamilton Centers Auxiliary, raising funds for their youth home. She was also actively involved with her service sorority, Beta Sigma Phi, for over 60 years. The sorority’s main charitable recipient was St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, and it was also important to Nancy and Jim personally.

Nancy loved to be social. She attended a neighborhood ladies’ Bible study for many years as well at participated in Bible Study Fellowship. She loved to meet with her neighborhood friends to play Euchre and Bridge. She had many hobbies, including photography, arts and crafts, baking and cooking, sewing, and traveling. She loved to photograph nature, whether in her backyard or on the many vacations she took with the family and together with Jim. She had many pieces of her work framed and hanging in her house for decades, a reminder of the great memories made along the way.

Later in life, once her children were grown, she worked outside the home for more than 15 years. She started at Eddie Bauer, and then made her way to Sam’s Club, where she loved to demonstrate products and chat with customers. Eventually she shifted to working at a private daycare for a few years before she retired completely. Retirement gave her and Jim more time to camp and travel to warmer destinations during the wintertime. They also made a very memorable trip to Alaska for 3 months, which became one of their favorite trips to reminisce about.

While she’s gone now from our midst, here on earth, she has helped us build a lifetime of memories for us to carry on with. But we also have the hope for our future reunion with her in eternity with the Lord, our God.

Funeral services will be at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, January 18, 2025, at Flanner Buchanan - Hamilton Memorial Park (Prairie Waters), 4180 Westfield Road. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service.  

Memorial contributions may be directed to St. Jude Research Children's Hospital.