Couple Shared a Lifetime of Love and Stewardship

By Michele Robertson

Donald and Nancy Dayton, both originally from Ohio, passed away from natural causes on March 10 and 13, 2025, respectively. For over 70 years, the couple shared life together and made a difference in every community they lived in.

Mr. Dayton was a superintendent at the Carlsbad Caverns National Park in 1970, and in 1972, became Superintendent of the newly established Guadalupe Mountains National Park. He entered the Park Service in 1955 as a ranger at Devil’s Tower National Monument, WY.

Over the next decade, he worked at Glacier National Park, MT, and Sequoia and King’s Canyon National Parks in California. His first role as a superintendent was at White Sands National Monument, and then in 1967, his first job as superintendent was for the Petrified National Forest Park in Arizona.

Many of the articles and information available speak mostly to Mr. Dayton and his career, but Mrs. Dayton contributed equally to each of their home locations. An AARP article from 2014 after their induction into the AARP’s NM Hall of Fame stated, “Nancy Dayton shows the same tenacity sitting through countless hours of discussion and testimony on voter reform and proposed ethics rules, which a lot of the time, went nowhere. Often she played an essential role in forging compromise between incremental reforms and more extreme, wide, sweeping demands.”

Her daughter-in-law, Susan Dayton, said, “Although most articles talk about Don’s work, Nancy seemed to always do her share. I was always amazed that she was an EMT when at El Dorado and just as active as Don.

“These guys were so involved and did so much for all the communities they lived in,” she added.

The couple spent their lifetime together making each community they lived in a better place by actively participating in matters that were important, not only for the land but also for the quality of life in those communities.

They sat in on New Mexico Legislative Committees, listening to and testifying on issues that matter greatly—like water and voter rights. They served on boards and were active participants in local nonprofit organizations around their communities. The Daytons embodied civic duty in their work and volunteer lives.

A statement from the family states, “At Glacier NP, Donald had to shoot a Grizzly Bear off of a hiker that was being attacked. For that action, Donald was awarded the National Park Service Valor Award.” Mr. Dayton’s last assignment was as Deputy Regional Director of the National Park Service Southwest Region, based in Santa Fe, where the couple lived in and contributed to the El Dorado community until they moved back to Carlsbad, then on to Austin, TX, to be near their children.

“In retirement, they hiked many of the 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado and went on over 60 cruises all over the world with Princess Cruise Lines. They also served with the El Dorado at Santa Fe Volunteer Fire Department, where Nancy was one of the department’s first EMTs,” the statement reads.

“They were wonderful. They helped me with my organic garden at Riverbend; really helpful in that sense. They were there every weekend, even when they were both in their 80s. They showed up, and they loved to garden and were a major help and support for the garden,” said Jeannie Watson, sales and marketing director for Riverbend Retirement Community.

In the words of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to change, it’s not.” The Dayton’s cared a whole awful lot and did what they could to bring about positive change for the communities they called home.