Dayton died July 23, 2015, at Knox County Nursing Home in Missouri. He graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Agriculture in 1956 and joined the Army where is he was a Sergeant in the 101st Airborne from 1956-58.

Dayton jumped at Missoula 55, 56, 62-65 and at Grangeville in 1958. His obit says he, like many of us, forged lifelong friendships with men whom he considered his brothers. Smokejumping represented a vital link to awe-inspiring adventure.

From 1963-65 he taught elementary science in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. He worked for the State Department in Vietnam from 1967-69 and was awarded the Medal for Civilian Service in 1969. Dayton later taught school and was a Principal at schools in New Mexico from 1970-92.