William Hunter Dalton Sr.'s Obituary
William Hunter Dalton, Sr. “Bill” was born in Tilton, Whitfield County, Georgia to Clarence Hunter and Floyd Saphrona Burnett Dalton on November 12, 1927. Bill graduated from Dalton High School, served in the US Navy in the Pacific and Atlantic at the close of WWII and settled in Tulsa, OK upon his return to civilian life.
In Tulsa Bill studied at the University of Tulsa while working at a local oil and gas company before finding his career path at Douglas Aircraft. During this post war time he reconnected with a hometown girl from Dalton and began a courtship through correspondence. In 1954 Bill and Shirley were married in Tulsa, OK.
Bill and Shirley continued living in Tulsa until 1957 when Bill was transferred to Charlotte, North Carolina. There, the family grew with three children and a poodle before Bill was transferred back to Tulsa. Bill and Shirley were parents first and participated in the active lives of their children through Garnett Road Baptist Church, Troup 26 Boy Scouts, countless theatre productions and annual vacations to Georgia to maintain relationships with family.
As the children found their own paths, Bill and Shirley stayed close with them, but branched off into square dancing, barbershop chorus and quartets, global travel, and supper clubs with friends from scouting and teaching. Once retired the travel expanded to include trips with their siblings and colleagues. Bill remained active teaching a Sunday School class at Garnett Road and both could be found on Thursday playing cards and dominoes with the Roadsters. Bill revisited his military career by participating in an Oklahoma Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. He was honored to receive a quilt from the Liberty Quilters, the area Quilts of Valor chapter.
Bill lovingly cared for his wife of nearly 66 years until her death from Alzheimer’s. At that time Bill relocated to Houston to live with his son Alan and his wife Sharon who lovingly cared for him until his passing on January 8, 2025 at age 97.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his siblings, Evelyn, Marge, Taudie, Dorothy, and Jack, his wife, Shirley Grace Steele Dalton and his son, William Hunter Dalton, Jr. (Teresa). He is survived by children Patti (Richard) Klein and Alan (Sharon) Dalton, granddaughters Tava Dalton and Meghan Dalton, and great granddaughters Meredith (Adam) Davis and Alexis Grosz. Bill is fondly loved and remembered by sister-in law, Faye Steele Martin, numerous nieces and nephews, and his large family of friends.
Visitation will be held from 3-6 PM on Thursday, January 16, 2025 at Floral Haven Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 12:30 PM Friday, January 17, 2025 at Floral Haven Funeral Home Chapel with Military Honors. Burial will follow at Floral Haven Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Bill’s honor to either Troup 26 through the Bill Shaffer Foundation or to the Liberty Quilters through the Quilts of Valor Foundation. www.billshafferfoundation.org and/or www.QOVF.org (local chapter #94891 Liberty Quilters)
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