Daniel L. Dailey

Dan Dailey, a longtime Monmouth resident who recently moved to Corvallis, died unexpectedly Saturday, June 4. He was 69.
A shy and usually quiet man, he had an extraordinary sense of humor and flair for spur-of-the-moment witticisms and jokes, and at one time had some success in the commercial market for humor writing. From boyhood until arthritis intervened, in his fifties, he was an excellent golfer and loved the game dearly. He was a whiz at crossword and Sudoku puzzles, a huge fan of classic rock, and an avid reader of history, biography, and contemporary culture and politics.
Dan was born in Queens, New York, the only child of Benjamin Dailey and Valerie Visoskie Dailey. In childhood, he and his parents moved often between upstate New York and Florida because his father managed various seasonal food-processing businesses, but by his upper grades the family had settled near Rochester, and Dan graduated from Ontario Center High School. He studied economics at Colgate University, graduating in 1963.
After working a few years in Rochester, and getting more than his fill of upstate winters, he moved to San Francisco, a city and culture that most definitely captured his heart and never really let it go. Thus, when one of life's little detours took him back to work in upstate New York, he stayed only long enough to woo and win Andrea Goeb, whom he married in 1973, and to gather a little capital for their move back to San Francisco, in 1975.
Their son, Joshua, was born in 1978, and Dan became a most devoted and enthusiastic parent. One of their shared early adventures was youth-league soccer, with Dan coaching Josh's teams for several years. Camping and fishing also were popular though, as Dan noted wryly, they did a lot more fishing than catching.
In 1986 the family moved to Oregon and settled the next year on acreage southwest of Monmouth. Dan put his accounting skills to work in the Fiscal Services section of the Oregon Department of Corrections, in Salem, and was there 20 years, earning an "Employee of the Year" honor before his retirement in 2006. In Salem he also was active in the Unitarian Universalist Congregation and, among other responsibilities, was treasurer and board member. In Monmouth, he served several years on the Polk County Fire District's advisory board and budget committee.
Rural life became more challenging as physical limitations increased, so in the summer of 2010 Dan and Andrea moved to Corvallis. There, Dan enjoyed lifelong learning classes, concerts, and proximity to good restaurants and coffee shops.
Dan was preceded in death by his parents, by his uncle the actor Dan Dailey, his aunt the actress Irene Dailey, and by aunts Anella Visoskie Meyer and Alyce Dailey Parry. He is survived by his wife, Andrea Dailey, of Corvallis; by his son, Josh, and daughter-in-law, Liz, of Fort Drum, NY; and by his large and loving family of in-laws, including sisters- and brothers-in-law Kathryn and Kenneth Patterson, Pam and Mike Jordan, Connie Goeb, Richard and Susanne Goeb, and Chris and Lou Ann Goeb, and their children and grandchildren. His family and friends will miss him more than words can say.
A memorial service will begin at 3 p.m. Friday, June 10, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, 5090 Center Street (at Cordon Road). In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution to the church's endowment, to the American Civil Liberties Union, or to a charity of choice.