Newell E. “Ned” Dalton, aged 88, passed away on Monday, August 23 in Moab, Utah. He was born on May 15, 1933, in Moab and grew up in Moab, Thompson Canyon and Castle Valley. He was the eldest son of Newell Earl and Nelda Lavern Dalton, both preceding him in death.
Ned was born at the end of the Great Depression and came from a family who farmed, raised cattle and worked in the oil and gas fields around Moab and the surrounding areas. He grew up learning how to work hard. At age 8 and beyond, he held a man’s job during the summers: herding cattle on the Book Cliffs, sometimes with another boy his age but most often alone. At age 18, he voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was sent to serve in the Korean War as a jet mechanic.
After returning from Korea, Ned attended college for two years and courted and married his now-sweetheart of 66 years, Betty June Coccio. He returned to Moab to work at Atlas Minerals, the local uranium mill, to provide for his family. After two and a half years in the mill’s welding and machine shop, Ned branched out on his own and started a welding business.
Ned started and successfully ran a welding and machine shop, an exploration drilling business, a drill rig hard-banding business and, later in life, a heat pump business.
Ned’s central and core values were integrity, honesty and respect for women, the elderly, the down-trodden, and others. His generosity, hard work, and caring for others were hallmarks that positively affected his family, his friends, and all those who came into contact with him.
Ned served faithfully in many capacities within his community, his family, his church, and his country. His love for this country, the U.S. Constitution, and for Jesus Christ was central to everything he did. He served as a Bishop, a full-time missionary with his wife in the Missouri Independence Mission, and a worker in the Monticello temple for 12 years. He also served on the Grand County Planning Commission, the Moab Regional Hospital Board of Directors, the Grand County Water Conservancy District, and the Utah Water Association board.
During the past two-and-half years of challenging health issues, his main concern was always his wife, his children, his grandchildren, and others. When COVID-19 was a struggle for so many, Ned and Betty still opened up their home to many visitors, especially those feeling the strain of isolation. When looking at Ned, one can see the reflection of the Savior caring for others in their times of need.
Ned was preceded in death by his daughter, Laura, in August 2014. He is survived by his wife, Betty June Coccio Dalton; his children, Debbie (Gary) Blackburn of Stansbury Park, Utah; Don (Irene) Dalton of Parker, Colorado; and son-in-law Kay (Laurie) Randall of Monticello, Utah; his grandchildren, Brad (Kristen) Randall, Todd (Kim) Randall, Suzane (Ben) Davis, Stephanie (Jake) Keller, Ben (Kylee) Blackburn, Adrienne (Adam) Whittle, James (Gloria) Blackburn, Kim (Ben) Ford, Hilary (Walter) Pippert, Spencer Dalton, Emily Dalton; and his great-grandchildren, Dalton Randall, MaKayla Randall, Melanie Randall, Cordell Randall, Logan Randall, Boyd Randall, Quinn Randall, Laura Sue Randall, Mellissa Davis, Jonathan Davis, Benjamin Joseph (BJ) Davis, Addison Davis, Sam Keller, Olivia Keller, Timothy Keller, Luke Whittle, Jacob Whittle, Jane Whittle, Dalton Whittle, Alex Whittle, Hiram Blackburn, Bowen Blackburn, Jonah Blackburn, Adelyn Blackburn, Hailey Blackburn, Brooke Blackburn, Owen Blackburn, Lincoln Ford, Kathleen Dalton, Laura Dalton, Emma Dalton.
Ned is also survived by both of his sisters, LeeAnn Hinrichs of Ogallala, Nebraska, and LaVern Gustafson of Dufur, Oregon.
A viewing for Ned will be held on Friday, August 27 from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center (701 Locust Lane, Moab). A second viewing will be held prior to the funeral on Saturday, August 28 from 9:30 -10:45 a.m., with the funeral to follow from 11 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Interment with military rites will be held directly after the funeral at the Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Moab.
For those who cannot attend in person and would like to attend virtually, the funeral will be live-streamed on the Spanish Valley Mortuary Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/SpanishValleyMortuary/) at 11 a.m. MDT.
You may send condolences to the family at www.spanishvalleymortuary.com
