Charles Michael Dayton

Charles Michael Dayton, 50, passed away on December 15, 2021. He was a loyal friend, a proud Navy veteran, and a great mechanic.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Dorothy (Kuranda) Dayton and Charles Raymond Dayton. He is survived by his ex-wife, Mary Souther, who does not know how she will keep her cars running without his help.

Animals and children loved Charles, and he loved them in return. He had a gruff exterior that kids immediately saw through. He would gladly play cars with or read books to all of his youngest fans. However he was happiest when he could be with animals, especially his beloved dog, Fenrir. He often volunteered or fostered for LLOV, a dog rescue group.

The cause which he was most vocal about was the mental health of his fellow veterans. He planned to get certified to work at the VA counseling other sufferers of PTSD and was excited about being a force for good. Unfortunately, his own illness did not let him survive to see those plans to fruition.

Charles was open about his struggles with alcohol and while his addiction ended up taking him from this world too soon he fought for his recovery until the end. In accordance with his wishes, he will be cremated and his ashes scattered in the Pacific Ocean. If you wish to commemorate Charles, please make a donation in his name to Laskey’s Lucky Ones (https://tinyurl.com/LLOVDonate) or K9s for Warriors (https://tinyurl.com/K9WarriorsDonate).