William John R. Dayton

William John R. Dayton, age 88, of Savanna, Illinois passed away on September 16, 2015 at St. Anthony Medical Center, Rockford, Illinois. Bill was born January 4, 1927 in Galena, Illinois, the eldest child of William and Edna (Bainbridge) Dayton, both of whom preceded him in death, along with his younger brother, Robert Dayton.
Bill married Lois Sarah Bahr on April 24, 1948 at the First Presbyterian Church in Galena. They soon were the proud parents of three sons over a span of seven years: Darryl of Sedona, Arizona, Craig of Belvidere, Illinois, and Barry of Palm Springs, California.
Working almost 41 years for three separate utility companies, Bill retired from Interstate Power Company as Area Manager on February 1, 1988 after 32 years. Previously, he had worked at Northern States Power in Galena and Northwestern Illinois Gas & Electric in Savanna.
After moving to Savanna in 1963, their family grew further through the addition of two very special exchange students who lived with them while attending Savanna High School. Bill and Lois remained the “American parents” of, and traded multiple international visits with Staffan (Lil) Ottosson of Karlskrona, Sweden and Mary Hoey (Dave) Henderson of Perth, Australia.
Over these same years, Bill and Lois counted their blessings with the addition of grandchildren, Erica (Shawn) Rathje of Pelham, New Hampshire; Melissa Dayton of Belvidere, Illinois; and Andrew (Lindsay) Dayton of Janesville, Wisconsin; as well as step-grandchildren Jennifer (Seth) Green of Dixon, Illinois and Kateri Nesbitt of Moline, Illinois. Lois and Bill felt the benefit of marrying so young as they enjoyed watching their three great-grandchildren and five step-great-grandchildren grow and develop as beautiful promises of a new generation.
As the father of three sons, Bill was active in Boy Scouts of America activities for more than 30 years. While he and Lois still lived in Galena, Bill became a Cubmaster, followed by years of service as Institutional Representative Assistant Scoutmaster, District Chairman, and Council Commissioner. In addition to receiving the Order of the Arrow during one of his summers with Savanna’s Troop 44 at Canyon Camp in Apple River, Bill was also honored with the Silver Beaver Award in 1969, the highest adult award in Scouting at the Council Level. Over these years, Bill mentored several boys, many of whom continued to stay in touch after they became adults.
Combining new camping and outdoor skills their sons learned in the Scouts, the Dayton family began taking summer vacations that took them through much of the United States with side trips into Canada and Mexico. Bill had a lifelong love of travel, a legacy that he passed along to his sons.
Bill and Lois considered themselves fortunate to see a good portion of the world for “a couple of kids from the farm.” Their first trip to Europe happened in 1973 when they took their just-graduated youngest son to visit their middle son, stationed with the Army in Germany, and their “Swedish son” who had returned home a year earlier. During that trip, they visited nine countries, but that was just the beginning…Bill’s more than 40 years of membership in the Savanna Rotary Club, beginning in 1967, provided even more opportunities for international travel. Serving for four years as District Friendship Chairman, he organized exchanges and visits with Rotary Clubs in Sweden, England, Holland, Australia and South Africa. In addition to many more trips through the U.S., Bill and Lois travelled throughout England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland with their youngest son in 1992.
Rotary service also included a stint as President in 1988-89, District Conference Chairman that same year for District Governor Bill Welk, and many years on the District Youth Exchange and Group Study Exchange. Bill was also a Life Member and Past President of the Savanna Chamber of Commerce, a Life member and Past Commander of U.S. Grant Post 2665 in Galena, and member of the American Legion in Savanna.
As a 32nd Degree Mason with membership in Blue Lodge, Freeport Consistory, and Rockford Shrine, Bill served two years as the 51st Worshipful Master of Miners Lodge #273. Fifty years earlier that post was filled the first time by Gen. Elihu S. Parker, a full-blooded Seneca Indian chief of seven nations, who had served in the Civil War as a member of Grant’s staff.
As faithful congregants of the Presbyterian Church, first in Galena and then in Savanna, Bill and Lois both served its mission in a variety of roles. Bill was an Elder and a member of the Session for many years. In addition to service on a variety of other committees, Bill was chairman of the property committee during the time they were successful in adding the new Fellowship/Sunday School wing in 1995.
Bill is survived also by his three younger sisters, Ruth (Tony) Bein of Highland, Indiana, Muriel (Dale) Bahr of Shullsburg, Wisconsin, and Joyce (Robert) McClain of Dubuque, Iowa.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at the First Presbyterian Church in Savanna. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 22, 2015 at Law-Jones Funeral Home, Savanna. Burial will take place in Greenwood Cemetery in Galena.
Those wishing to make memorials are encouraged to consider the First Presbyterian Church in Savanna. Condolences and tributes may also be sent to the family at www.lawjonesfuneralhome.com .