Dayton Wheeler Wright was born November 23, 1927 on a farm in Lowry City, Missouri to Taylor and Catherine (Cross) Wright.  He passed away November 21, 2020 in Clinton, Missouri.

He joined the United States Navy in 1946 at age 18 and served on the USS Rockwall and USS Saint Croix in the American Theatre, Victory World War II, 1946-1947. While serving in the Pacific he was involved in Operation Crossroads, helping with the evaluation of radioactive fallout from nuclear tests on Bikini Atoll.

Following his military service Dayton worked in the construction industry, including more than 10 years as a foreman on projects to build tall smokestacks at power stations in Kentucky, Michigan, Texas, Florida, and other states. Throughout his construction career he was a proud member of the Laborers Union.

In 1963, he was united in marriage to Dora Hazel Vahle, who preceded him in death in 2003.

Dayton was preceded in death by his wife, Dora Wright; his parents, Taylor and Catherine Wright; six brothers, Roy, Nat, Russel, Avis, Willard, and Dennis; four sisters: Blanche Hoover, Helen Rufenacht, Eathel Coffey and Czrena Shulse

He is survived by his daughter, Donita Bartlett, of Collins, Missouri; his adopted daughters Cathy Wright and Amanda Alexander, of Eugene, Oregon; step-children John Piper of Reston, Virginia, Linda Elliston of Belton, Missouri, and Donna Tennison of Humansville, Missouri; 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.